Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn your statutes.”
– Psalm 119:71

Nobody healthy enjoys pain, suffering, and affliction. However, that doesn’t mean that God can’t work good out of those! The Psalmist recognized that through his own personal suffering, He had been driven deeper into God’s Word and commands. In wrestling with the biblical why’s and how’s of suffering in this fallen world, the author learned more of the absolute goodness, holiness, majesty, love, mercy, grace, and glory of God. He came to more fully understand God’s will and His ways. Amidst the pain of a world ravaged by sin and Satan, the inspired author discovered the joy and comfort of a life lived nearer to God and spent in deep, life-changing obedience to His commands.

We suffer for many reasons. We live in a world deeply damaged and profoundly twisted by human sin. We have an active evil adversary in Satan. Evil people sin against us. We sin ourselves in rebellion against our good Creator and suffer the consequences, discipline, and punishment of God. Nonetheless, God can powerfully redeem our suffering. As we embrace Him more deeply, learning to be filled and satisfied with Him (and Him alone), and increasingly exhibiting the Fruit of His Spirit, we too can reach a point where we recognize the redemptive purpose and value of our suffering.

Once we begin to recognize and enjoy the eternal benefits that flow out of our spiritual growth amidst affliction, we too can echo the psalmist: it was good we were afflicted, that we might learn God’s statutes!

“Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” – 1 Timothy 4:7-8

Godliness – becoming like Jesus Christ – isn’t something that happens automatically for Christians. We must train ourselves for godliness. While the work of transformation is done by the Holy Spirit, He generally does this work once we’ve regularly invested time and energy to prepare and position ourselves for growth. We must exercise our spiritual muscles and build up solid everyday spiritual habits and practices that will benefit us now and forever.

How do we train ourselves for godliness? As Christians always have…

– Read Scripture daily. Not just devotionals and the thoughts of others about Scripture. Read God’s Word for yourself each day.

– Think about what you just read for a few minutes. What does it mean? How does it apply to your life? How does it encourage your soul? What does it reveal about God? This is called meditation. Consider writing some of that down each day. That’s called journaling.

– Pray daily. Talk to God. Praise Him. Confess to Him. Give thanks to Him. Ask Him what’s on your heart. A relationship without regular conversation isn’t going to grow deeper.

– Worship God. Often. Worship with others each week. Worship in private on other days throughout the week. Sing, listen to music, pray, be still before God.

– Memorize some Scripture so it’s readily available to meditate on any day and time.

– Serve God. Choose at least one place of ministry and dig into it!

– Share Christ with those who don’t know Him.

– Give generously to God’s Kingdom from both your time and your treasure. Where those go, so goes your heart.

– Fast periodically for the purpose of focusing your prayers.

“When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies;
I hasten and do not delay
to keep your commandments.”
– Psalm 119:59-60

It’s hard to believe how quickly and easily we slip, trip, and slide into disobeying God! A small compromise here, a bit of over indulgence there, a personal blind spot over there…. Before you know it, you’re moving in a very different direction from God! Fortunately, for followers of Jesus, He’s always ready to welcome us back onto the path of righteousness when we confess our sins and ask His forgiveness (1 John 1:9).

That said, we need to actually recognize those sins, errors, acts of indifference, and rebellious attitudes and actions. We must make time and space in our life for the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sins and shortcomings. We must spend time not only reading the Bible but using it as a mirror to critically evaluate our conduct. Our standard of behavior shouldn’t the standard of the world. It shouldn’t be, “I’m better than that guy over there”. It shouldn’t be, “I’m generally a good person.” Our standard of behavior must always be Jesus. Are you following Jesus and becoming more like Him every day?

The first step back onto God’s path is to “think on my ways”. Regularly examine the conduct of your life. The way you spend your time and money. The things you get excited thinking about. The things you invest your life and energy into. Are these the things God commanded? Are these the things modeled by Christ? If not, turn your feet back to God’s Word and will. Hasten to keep God’s commands and don’t drag your feet in doing so!

“Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:12

Work matters! It really does, even if it doesn’t feel like it sometimes. For Christians, God commands and dignifies every kind of honest, ethical, and moral work in the economic marketplace. In Christ, daily employment shouldn’t be locked away in a separate compartment of life from faith and making disciples. Rather, every job is an opportunity to quietly, yet publicly, live out your faith and make disciples of Jesus Christ.

Paul is clear: Christians should work hard, even as we live in anticipation of Christ’s return. Christians should always work faithfully and well as if we are working for the Lord. Work certainly shouldn’t dominate our lives or our thoughts. However, it also shouldn’t be thought of as a necessary evil or something to be avoided. So-called secular employment is every bit a part of your ongoing ministry to this fallen world.

So work hard and work well. If you find yourself between jobs, work diligently to find a new job. If your job is forcing you to compromise your faith or integrity, find a new job. In the meantime, give thanks to God for employment for it’s both His means of provision and an opportunity to come in contact with many who need to know the love of Jesus.

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

Not everyone who appears on the scene saying and doing amazing things is on God’s team! We should absolutely expect remarkable individuals with massive followings to appear who are actually servants of Satan. We should anticipate that these individuals will borrow much of the language and appearances of faith, even of Christianity. They may sound, to the casual listener, very godly, and perhaps even very Christian. But if they don’t proclaim Jesus as Lord, as Christ come in the flesh, they are an agent of Satan, not God! If they teach a false gospel, they are of Satan, not God.

Such an individual may be a popular preacher, a wildly successful silver-tongued politician, or a transcendent social media influencer. We should anticipate much media hype surrounding them. We should expect debate within the church over whether they’re perhaps “good” because they interest people in spiritual matters. They aren’t good!!!

Such people should be expected. Many will fall for them – don’t be one of those! Be discerning. Look carefully for the fruit of the Spirit: if that individual isn’t exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, he or she is unlikely to be from God. If he or she isn’t acting like Jesus in the everyday way of compassion, sacrifice, and love, it’s quite likely he or she is serving Satan rather than God. Expect them and be prepared!