The Fruits of Righteosness

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Matthew 5:6 (ESV)

As I was reading Proverbs 11 this week, I was struck by the wonderful blessings found in the position of righteousness. While we understand that, from a legal standpoint, we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, there is also the vital aspect of living right before Him. It is this thought I want to consider with you today.

Righteousness is God’s standard of being and doing what is right. Many may proclaim their own goodness, but God is the One who determines what is right. He is just and right in all His ways (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 119:137).

We learn from the story of the Garden of Eden in Genesis that mankind has an appetite to be his own judge of right and wrong. Adam and Eve violated God's command, and God called it sin, which removed them from their right standing with Him.

Our need for a Saviour is found in the natural state of mankind apart from God. We have all sinned and fallen short of God's standard of righteousness. Thus, we need a Saviour who can make us right. We find in 2 Corinthians 5:21 the provision God has made for us to be made right with Him.

Being made right creates a heart that desires to do what is right in the sight of God. Being made right enables us to come to God as our Father and enjoy all the benefits that come through Jesus. This brings us to Proverbs 11, where we find the fruit of doing what is right. The following verses in this chapter reveal these blessings:

• Verse 4 — Righteousness delivers from death.

• Verse 5 — The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight.

• Verse 6 — The righteousness of the upright delivers them.

• Verse 8 — The righteous are delivered from trouble.

• Verse 19 — Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live.

• Verse 21 — The offspring of the righteous will be delivered.

• Verse 23 — The desire of the righteous ends only in good.

• Verse 28 — The righteous will flourish like a green leaf.

• Verse 30 — The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life.

• Verse 31 — The righteous are repaid on earth.

When we hunger and thirst for being and doing what is right before the Father, Jesus said we would be satisfied.

The Greek word translated satisfied is chortazō, meaning to feed, to fill, or to satisfy. Its root concept portrays the movement from emptiness to fullness. Whether used of stomachs or souls, it signals the moment when a need is fully met and longing ceases.

God does not merely relieve our hunger; He fills to overflowing those who hunger and thirst to be and do what is right in His sight.

With Him

And he (Jesus) went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.”

Mark 3:13–15

Our greatest and highest calling is to be with Jesus. It is from this place of being “with Him” that we are able to bring forth fruit that remains. Since we have been called alongside Him for greater works, we must live with an awareness of the truth that apart from Him we can do nothing, but with Him all things are possible. (John 15:16; John 14:12; John 15:5; Matthew 19:26.)

It is our vital union with Him that empowers us. He is the vine; we are the branches. “With Him” is our calling. Sent out is our work. Our union with Him directs our work.

I cannot stress enough that the weariness we experience in our work can come from a broken or neglected union with Him. Times of refreshing come from the presence of the Lord. As our Good Shepherd, He leads us beside waters that refresh and restore our souls. (Acts 3:19; Psalm 23.)

Ephesians 2:10 states that we are His workmanship, created for good works that God has ordained for us to walk in. Fruitfulness is the result of our union with Him.

We can rest in the words of Jesus in John 15:16: “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last……”

We are known by the fruit we produce, both in our character and in our good works. We are all familiar with the fruit of the Spirit, and I would suggest that Galatians 5:22–23 provides a good measure by which to examine the fruit being produced in our lives as we walk in the Spirit.

Our time “with Him” brings the refining necessary for greater works. Every branch is subject to pruning. Jesus said that the branch that bears no fruit is taken away, while the branch that bears fruit is pruned so that it will bear even more fruit (John 15:2). We are also reminded in Matthew 7:16–20 that we will know a tree by its fruit.

We have all experienced seasons when we have not been as fruitful as we could have been. We may become weary in well-doing, carry things that were never ours to carry, become too busy, or allow ourselves to become distracted. We must always remain aware that we have been given a time and a season in which to produce fruit.

We see a warning in the parable of the barren fig tree in Luke 13:6–9. We see another when Jesus finds no fruit on a fig tree in Mark 11:12–25.

Both accounts give us sober reminders, particularly in seasons when we face opposition and darkness. The pressures to become complacent and comfortable are among the tools our enemy uses to draw us away from our union with Him and from our willingness to be about the Father’s business.

Again, it is our place “with Him” that keeps us engaged and empowered to do all that He has ordained for us.

My encouragement for this week is to guard our union with Him and make sure that we, too, are about our Father’s business.

Watching or Sleeping

And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’”

Matthew 26:40–41

We see earlier, in verses 36–38, Jesus entering the garden with the eleven disciples. He says to eight, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” He then takes Peter, James, and John with Him and tells them to “remain here and watch with me.” Jesus goes a bit farther and begins His travail.

When Jesus finishes, He comes to the three—Peter, James, and John—and finds them sleeping for sorrow. Luke 22:45.

We learn two things from this scenario.

Watching and praying is the method of deliverance from temptation, while sleeping seems to be the natural pathway to escape sorrow.

HELPS Word Studies:

Watching ~ 1127 grēgoreúō – literally, “stay awake”; (figuratively) be vigilant (responsible, watchful).

Sorrow ~ 3077 lýpē – properly, distress, vexation; (figuratively) physical or emotional pain; heavy heart-sorrow (grief) that brings a person down.

Temptations occur at our weakest moments. Our flesh desires ease, and without a lifestyle where we are attentive, alert, and praying, we will succumb. Galatians 5:17 reminds us that the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit. Paul wrote in Romans 7:18 of his awareness that in his flesh nothing good dwells. An awareness of the strength that lies in the flesh reminds us of our need for empowerment from God.

Prayer is the divine lifeline to our Father and the source of all strength. It is the vital union we maintain that enables us to be filled with the Spirit, so that we are stronger within than without. His strength is perfected in our weaknesses.

The Father, knowing what we have need of before we ask, goes before us and prepares us for every eventuality we face. We do not have to be caught off guard.

It is watchful prayer that engages with the Holy One, who will show us things to come. He offers sufficient grace to strengthen our weaknesses and makes the way of escape.

This Last Supper paints a very vivid picture of our Father’s heart for preparation. Jesus is leaving. The cross is before Him. He is preparing these men for His departure. “You will all fall away because of me this night.” Peter is adamant: “I will never fall away.” Jesus says to him that very night, before the rooster crows, he will deny Jesus three times. Peter’s response is, “I will not!” Matthew 26:30–35.

I’m struck here by the reminder that He is the Spirit of Truth. If we will hear the hard things, we can be prepared and endure hard things. It is the propensity to believe that a loving Father would not want us to suffer hardship that causes us to stumble. Yet, we all know that without pressure, no one grows. The Spirit is willing; the flesh is weak.

We see this in the life of Peter. Failing to pray left him facing the “sifting” process that caused him to deny Jesus.

Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation. The Spirit is willing. The flesh is weak.

The hour is at hand. Temptation comes. Hopefully, we have wrestled our will into submission, and there is nothing in us that can cause us to deny our Lord.

Our shield against all the fiery darts of the evil one is simple, but profound:

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

Lead us not into temptation

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (the evil one).
Matthew 6:13

With the past Good Words I’ve written, one could possibly feel overwhelmed when considering the temptations and tests we are sure to face. However, our encouragement and strength come from knowing that whatever we face, and however we face our own temptations and tests, Jesus overcame His without falling into sin; so we can too. This is good news.

We are to be of good cheer, knowing that all temptations are common in this world. So, we count it all joy when we meet them, knowing that our sufficiency is not of ourselves but in Christ.

Because greater is He who is now dwelling in us than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4), we can boldly confess, like Jesus, “The prince of this world is coming, but he has nothing in Me” (John 14:30).

Jesus, who was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15), encourages us to come boldly to the throne of grace, where we will receive mercy and find grace in our time of need. This is our overcoming promise, enabling us to avoid the snare of temptation.

Jesus, in our Scripture today, tells us to pray to the Father and specifically ask to be delivered from the evil one. We know from the epistle written by James that God tempts no man with evil. So, how do we understand this request from Matthew 6:13, where we are told to pray, “Lead us not…”?

Let’s look at a couple of word studies:

LEAD — eispheró: to bring in, to lead into, to carry into.

TEMPTATION — Cognate: 3986 peirasmós (from 3985 /peirázō) — temptation or test. Both senses can apply simultaneously, depending on the context. The positive sense (“test”) and negative sense (“temptation”) are functions of the context, not merely the words themselves.

Elliott’s Commentary gives a worthwhile explanation to help us understand this petition from Matthew 6:13:

“Lead us not into temptation.—The Greek word includes the two thoughts which are represented in English by ‘trials,’ i.e., sufferings which test or try, and ‘temptations,’ allurements on the side of pleasure which tend to lead us into evil. Of these the former is the dominant meaning in the language of the New Testament, and is that of which we must think here. (Comp. Matthew 26:41.) We are taught not to think of the temptation in which lust meets opportunity as that into which God leads us (James 1:13–14); there is therefore something that shocks us in the thought of asking Him not to lead us into it. But trials of another kind—persecution, spiritual conflicts, agony of body or of spirit—these may come to us as a test or as a discipline. Should we shrink from these? An ideal stoicism, a perfected faith, would say, ‘No, let us accept them, and leave the issue in our Father’s hands.’ But those who are conscious of their weakness cannot shake off the thought that they might fail in the conflict, and the cry of that conscious weakness is therefore, ‘Lead us not into such trials,’ even as our Lord prayed, ‘If it be possible, let this cup pass away from me’ (Matthew 26:39). And the answer to the prayer may come either directly in actual exemption from the trial, or in ‘the way to escape’ (1 Corinthians 10:13), or in strength to bear it. It is hardly possible to read the prayer without thinking of the recent experience of ‘temptation’ through which our Lord had passed. The memory of that trial in all its terrible aspects was still present with Him, and in His tender love for His disciples He bade them pray that they might not be led into anything so awful.”

The questions we can always keep before us are:

What is the treasure we carry in our hearts?

What do we desire in this life more than God?

More Testing

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. — Matthew 4:1

For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” — Genesis 3:5

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. — 1 John 2:14–17

 

We learn from 1 John 2:14–17 that there are three main categories of temptation: the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Genesis reveals Adam and Eve in the garden yielding to these three, and Jesus in the wilderness is tempted with the same, yet overcomes all.  From Adam and Eve’s yielding, sin entered into the world, creating the necessity for mankind’s deliverance. Jesus’ resistance brought our redemption.

To be the Deliverer, Jesus had to be tested and approved in the same areas in which Adam and Eve were tempted and failed. This test proved that a man, filled with the Spirit, could resist the power of the enemy and overcome. Jesus was led into the wilderness full of the Spirit to be tested and came out in the power of the Spirit.

“In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Jesus’ example sets the foundation for us to overcome every temptation and pass every test that comes our way. It’s not by might, nor by our own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. To have Jesus’ results, we must do it Jesus’ way.

Let us continue this week considering the temptation the writer called the pride of life.

From Strong’s Concordance, we find this Greek word ~ alazon, defined as braggadocio, i.e. (by implication) self-confidence—boasting, pride.

The Interlinear work translates this Greek word into the phrase “vaunting of life.” The NAS renders it “boastful pride of life.”

Possessions, success, influence, and even beauty can feed into this pride of life. The issue is not having these things, but the temptation to trust in them for identity, security, significance, or superiority, rather than acknowledging all as a gift from God.

In every situation, we are faced with our own appetites, desires (or will). In that moment of desire, the opportunity holds both a temptation and a test. Which prevails—righteousness or sin—is determined by the value and belief we hold in that moment.

We come to a fuller understanding about pride when we consider the following Scriptures ~

• Lucifer desires and declares: “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God... I will be like the Most High.” — Isaiah 14:13–14

• Nebuchadnezzar looked over Babylon and declared: “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” — Daniel 4:30

• King Uzziah became extraordinarily successful: “His name spread far abroad; for he was marvellously helped, till he was strong.” — “But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction.” — 2 Chronicles 26:15–16

The Apostle Paul poses this question ~

• “For who makes you so superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” — 1 Corinthians 4:7 BSB

• “If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” — Galatians 6:3

And finally, we have Peter’s warning, which sets before us a positioning of heart, mind, and body:

“Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God OPPOSES the proud but gives grace to the humble.” — 1 Peter 5:5

God opposing isn’t a mild “opposing.” Opposing is defined as a military word. It is active resistance. It paints a picture of God arraying Himself in a military-like fashion and standing before the proud in opposition.

From HELPS Word-studies, we see the strength expressed in this word oppose ~

Antitássomai ~ #498 is a very old military term. It was used for placing a soldier in a specific platoon (with a specific function)—i.e., in a definite order to attack or resist. Used in antiquity of organized resistance, like an army assuming a specific battle-array position to resist in “full alignment”; to disagree (oppose) intensely.

• 498 antitássomai (from 473 /antí, “opposite to, against” and 5021 /tássō, “arrange, order”)—properly, “squared off” (opposite to); opposed to in principle and in practice.

“To resist” means to “reject the entire make-up of something,” i.e., its whole arrangement—from its very “set up” (organization) to the final way it is “ordered.”

The only character that can possibly help us live free from the pride of life is humility.

Humble hearts and minds recognize that only God deserves the glory for our work and our lives.

And More Tests

Then Jesus was led up into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. And after he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he became hungry. So the Tempter came and said to him……”

Matthew 4:1–3

Helen Barrett Montgomery NT, 1924 Translation

With a slight review, we can use Jesus’ testing in the wilderness as a foundation for understanding the temptations and tests we experience in life. The Apostle Paul exhorts us in 1 Corinthians 10:13 to remember that every temptation is common to mankind, and that God is faithful to make a way of escape so that we are able to bear it.

Being led by the Spirit into the wilderness indicates the working of the purposes of God for a greater good. To be tempted by the Devil reveals the evil that is present to oppose and destroy that purpose.

God tests; Satan tempts.

The same event can contain divine purpose and testing, as well as satanic intent and temptation, without making God the author of evil.

When we reconcile ourselves to the awareness that this life will include both temptation and a process of testing, we can still be of good cheer because Jesus has overcome the world.

Every temptation is common to our life here and now. Every circumstance can become a test of how we are growing and conforming to Christ. We are wise when, in the moment of temptation or testing, we recognize what is happening and choose to respond in a way that pleases God and strengthens us.

Scripture tells us, “In everything give thanks.”
 

The First Epistle of John tells us in 2:16 about the love of the world. In the Gospels, Jesus taught that we cannot serve two masters; we will love one and hate the other. We cannot serve God and mammon, or the worldly system represented by mammon.
 

John’s epistle tells us that all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away, along with these desires.
 

We understand that these things are not eternal but belong to the temporal realm. Where translations vary in their use of the word lust, we simply need to understand that it speaks of a very strong desire—an appetite of the natural man, common to us all.
 

Thus, Scripture warns us over and over again not to set our affection upon the things that are in the world.
 

When it comes to the “lust or desire of the eyes,” we see in the garden the temptation that appealed to Adam and Eve. Something they had looked upon long enough—something that was “a delight to their eyes”—began to change what they believed and eventually gave way to satisfying their desire.
 

Conversely, we see in Jesus’ example in the wilderness a divine submission to the instructions of His Father.
 

Timing is everything. Contentment is learned.

This is the danger.
 

I remember when I wanted a puppy. I searched the internet daily—sometimes all day—for breeders and puppies that were available. David would warn me, “Don’t look at that.”
 

The end of the story is that I found my “desire,” talked myself into buying my desire, and loved my desire. But my desire came with all sorts of problems. We endured the desire for five years and ultimately had to rehome my desire and move on.
 

You might ask, What’s wrong with having a dog? It isn’t bad. But that’s not the question. The question is always, “Is it right, and is it right now?”
 

The moral of that story is that what you look at long enough strengthens an appetite. And once that appetite has been strengthened, you will ultimately find a way to convince yourself that God is okay with it.

You can even tell yourself that God has made a way for you to acquire the desire.  This is where we must be careful.  Proverbs 27:20 tells us that the eyes of man are never satisfied. Desire is always present, and desire must be disciplined. We must learn to be content.
 

Contentment is the healing balm for desire.
 

Paul had to learn to be content. Jesus learned discipline, and we will too. It is a process of growth and conformity to the character of Christ.
 

Knowing that He alone satisfies my soul isn’t enough unless I go to Him and allow Him to satisfy me. I must allow Him to alter my thinking and reestablish my heart unto eternity.
 

The reality of God giving me the desires of my heart is not simply that God gives me what I desire. It is that He realigns my desires with His.  That is a discipline found only in intimacy with Him.
 

It is better for the Lord to add daily to our lives the things we need than for us to continually strive to fulfill our desires. We learn, as Paul did, to be content with such things as we have.  Perhaps this is one of the great lessons we learn from Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness:
 

We do not have to satisfy every appetite simply because we have it.

Jesus was hungry, but hunger did not determine His obedience.

He waited on His Father.

He trusted His Father.

He submitted His desire to the Father’s will.

And from Jesus’ temptation, we learn the discipline of being content and waiting on God’s timing in all things.

Tests

Then Jesus was led up into the desert by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil. And after he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he became hungry. So the Tempter came and said to him……

Matthew 4:1–3

Helen Barrett Montgomery NT, 1924 Translation

Jesus was led by the Spirit for the specific purpose of testing. His baptism revealed that He was the Son of God, the Beloved, in whom the Father delighted. We are told in the Gospel of John that John the Baptist had seen and bore witness to this reality. Now filled with the Spirit, Jesus is led into this isolated place to be tempted by the Devil. Jesus endures this time with prayer and fasting.

By way of introduction to this testing process, let us consider the following three phrases before we examine the testing’s purpose.  The following academic comments are being offered as a foundation for the next few Good Words. 
 

We begin with ~ 

1. Led up of the Spirit ~ 

Ellicott’s Commentary notes: “Each narrator expresses the same fact in slightly different language. St. Luke (Luke 4:1), ‘Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led in the wilderness.’ St. Mark (Mark 1:12), more vividly, ‘Immediately the Spirit driveth Him into the wilderness.’”

Bible Hub’s Topical Lexicon: Strong’s Greek number 321 for the phrase “led up” portrays purposeful upward or forward movement, whether the launching of a vessel, the leading of a person to a higher place, or the bringing up of someone from confinement or death. Across Scripture, the term consistently serves salvation history by portraying God’s initiative in moving His people, His servants, and His Son toward the fulfilment of divine purpose.

Each statement presents to us a reality of God’s workings.
 

2. To be tempted ~ 

Helps Word Study

peirazō: From peira; to test (objectively), i.e., endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline—assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt(-er), try.

3985 peirazō (from 3984 / peíra, “test, trial”)—“originally to test, to try, which was its usual meaning in ancient Greek and in the LXX” (WP, 1, 30). “The word means either test or tempt” (WP, 1, 348). Context alone determines which sense is intended, or, as we find here in Matthew’s writing, both may apply simultaneously.

The word peirazō is used in the negative sense of “tempt” in Matthew 16:1; 19:3; 22:18, 35; Mark 8:11; 10:2; 12:15; Luke 11:16; 20:33; John 8:6; and James 1:13–14.

However, peirazō is also used of positive testing in Matthew 4:11; Luke 22:28; 1 Corinthians 10:13; and James 1:12.

It is important to note here that this word, “tempted,” carries two very distinct connotations, and context alone determines which sense is intended. In Matthew’s account, however, both apply simultaneously.

Being led by the Spirit into the wilderness indicates a working of the purposes of God for a greater good. To be tempted by the Devil shows us the evil that is present to destroy that purpose by enticing Jesus to sin.

We must always hold before us the truth from James 1:13–15:

“Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God.” For God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.

We learn from James’ writing that temptation is not sin. Every person is tempted. There isn’t any temptation that has ever occurred that is not common to man. Because we are flesh living in a fallen world, the enticement to sin will be present until Jesus returns. Mindful of our present state, Satan’s desire is to sift every man away from the purposes of God.
 

3. By the Devil ~

Helps Word Study

1228 diábolos (from 1225 / diabállō, “to slander, accuse, defame”)—properly, a slanderer; a false accuser; unjustly criticizing to hurt (malign) and condemn, with the purpose of severing a relationship.

1228 (diábolos) is the root of the English word “Devil” (see also Webster’s Dictionary).

In secular Greek, 1228 (diábolos) means “backbiter,” that is, an accuser, calumniator, or slanderer. Diábolos is literally someone who “casts through,” making charges that bring down or destroy.

From this introduction, we are brought face to face with the existence and personality of the power of evil. It is Satan’s challenge to God’s proclamation of sonship. He tests Jesus’ desires, seeking to entice Him to place any and all other things above God.

Faced with the same temptations that Adam encountered in the garden, we are now watching the unfolding of Jesus’ ultimate overcoming. This is the beginning of Jesus being tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin, as Hebrews 4:15 declares. And in Jesus, we are shown the way out of every temptation that we face.

God has made a way of escape, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 declares, as Jesus reveals the right response to every temptation.

To be continued ~

God Has Spoken

I recently read an article suggesting that the current spiritual worship experience is leaving many people touched by God's presence in the moment, yet seemingly unable to live daily in conformity to Christ. They are lacking the how-to’s. 

When David and I were born again during the revival of the '70s, our foundation was built upon the Word and the Spirit. A common teaching was, “Without the Word, you blow up. Without the Spirit, you dry up. You must have both”—and that daily.

It is with this thought in mind that I wanted to add one more Good Word, in our study of knowing God's will.

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son...”

Hebrews 1:1–2

Since Jesus is the Word made flesh, the Word that proceeds from the mouth of God, and the express image of God, we can then be assured that as we read the written Word of Scripture, we are seeing and hearing the will of God.

As we approach our daily reading of the Bible, we do so with the prayer found in Ephesians,  beginning in 1:17. We ask for a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, and that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened so that we might know the hope to which we are called, i.e. the will and purposes of God. 

We read with an expectation that something will be revealed to us through the Holy Spirit, as we see in our Scripture verse today: “God... has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.”

His words are spirit and life. They are alive. They are powerful, and they penetrate to the division of soul and spirit, discerning the thoughts and intents of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12). Verse 13 continues with the sobering awareness that no one is hidden from His sight, but that we are all naked and exposed before Him to whom we must give account.

This may be one of the primary reasons we do not attend to the Word. It is the revealer of the heart. It searches the depths of soul—mind, will, and emotions—and spirit, continually illuminating what is within the heart of man: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Yet it does not do this for the purpose of condemnation, guilt, or shame, but for life!

Unfortunately, the devil works to make us feel condemned. Shame and guilt hold us aloof from the very One who loves us. Our own consciousness of sin can tell us that we are rejected. And no one willingly goes to someone they believe will reject them.

This is the strategy of the evil one—the father of all lies, Satan.

Spiritual growth is the process of learning to cooperate with the Spirit of Truth as He reveals to us the will of the Father. Our prayer for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, along with our dependence upon Him for the necessary provision of each day, can only be lived out as we are willing to hear what the Spirit is saying.

It is that still, small voice speaking to the renewed spirit of the human heart, continually aligning us with the will of God.

It is the daily alignment, the continual tweaking of the heart, and the renewing of the mind as we read the Scriptures and hear what He is saying.

Lord, give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying as we feed upon our daily bread.

Perfect and Complete

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.” This shows we still need prayer in order to fully mature.
— Colossians 4:12 ESV

 We read this as Epaphras’ prayer, but we understand that this originates as the heart and mind of the Father, fully seen through Jesus being the great Intercessor.

Growing up presents all kinds of struggles, spiritually as well as naturally. Predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29), requires us to agree, and willingly obey, in all things.

We can’t stop our natural growth, it continues without our conscious agreement, but we do have to participate with our spiritual growth. Hebrews 5:12–14 notes that there is a time when we are to move from the milk of the Word to solid food. Our spiritual growth begins with a desire for the sincere milk of the Word (1 Peter 2:2) and continues through more solid food to the place of standing mature and fully assured in ALL the will of God. That requires a life-time of meals.

And then to stand…

“Perfect and complete” — KJV
“Perfect and fully assured” — NASB 1995
“Mature and fully assured” — ESV

…requires our pursuit of spiritual truth.

Since God has dealt to every man the measure of faith (Romans 12:3), we know we have the God-given ability to believe Him. Spiritual wisdom and understanding come through the discipline of attending to the Word(s) of God, thus enabling us to know the will of God.

The heart and mind of God; his will, is revealed by the Holy Spirit, as we meditate on the truths we hear and see. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. Revelation is built. Wisdom is imparted. Understanding is formed, and faith is the fruit.

Wisdom and insight are lavished upon us as He makes known the mystery of His will (Ephesians 1:8). Grace is imparted, and we are enabled to pursue and achieve all the will of God—growing to stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.

HELPS Word-studies

Mature ~
Cognate: 5046 téleios (an adjective, derived from 5056 /télos, “consummated goal”) — mature (consummated) from going through the necessary stages to reach the end goal; developed into a consummating completion by fulfilling the necessary process (spiritual journey). See 5056 (telos).

[This root (tel-) means “reaching the end (aim).” It is well illustrated with the old pirate’s telescope, unfolding (extending out) one stage at a time to function at full strength (capacity/effectiveness).]

Fully assured ~
4135 plērophoréō (from 4134 /plḗrēs, “full” and 5342 /phérō, “carry, bring”) — properly, fully carry through (make full); bear (or wear) fully.

4135 /plērophoréō (“fully carry through”) is used of God’s power bringing the believer to maximum potential, “matching” their true knowledge of Him (cf. 1 Cor. 12:13).

4135 (plērophoreō) is often translated “giving full assurance,” but it properly means “bearing (wearing) the work of God to the fullest extent.” That is, to the full capacity of the individual believer who is “fully persuaded” by Him.
 

While James 1:5–8 reminds us that if we lack wisdom, we can ask God, who will give it to us liberally without any condemnation for needing it, he does then warn us that the double-minded man is unstable in ALL his ways.
 

So, how do we navigate our need to be fully assured without doubting the wisdom we have been given?
 

Wisdom, maturity in ALL of the will of God, lies in watering and nurturing the seed that has been sown until it has brought forth fruit—guarding our hearts from any disruption to the supremacy of Christ.
 

Forbearance

"Let your forbearance* be known unto all men.  The Lord is at hand."

Philippians 4:5. American Standard Version

By Dr. David Mcgrew

Philippians 3:17 through 4:9 contains a treasure trove of truth and wisdom for helping to make awkward relationships work, and it doesn’t show up any more pointedly than it does right here in verse 5. 

The marginal note for verse 5’s forbearance* gives us an alternate rendering of ‘gentleness.’  Bible gentleness is not a weak expression of softness refusing to express strength.  Gentleness is more akin to a restrained strength that guards itself against being overly firm; bullying, we might say, but nevertheless remains willing to be as strong as may be required to express the order of the Lord. That draws a different picture than unbiblical passivity. 

It’s the second sentence of verse 5 that is so fascinating, though. ‘The Lord is near’ can be read at least two different ways. 

First, it can be read like the Lord’s return is imminent, so conduct your relationships knowing you will have to give an account. You’d better behave like a believer (and of course you should).  

But it’s the second that’s our thought for today. The Lord’s nearness can easily mean He’s with you and able to bring His presence, through the proper prayer (that Paul later mentions), into the relationships we pray for. Verse 6’s well-remembered exhortation, ‘in nothing be anxious,’ ties easily to the foundation of the Lord’s nearness as if it were a stand-alone admonition. The teaching on prayer follows that reminder of the Lord being near. 

Both of these verses follow Paul’s instructions for some workers, apparently in disagreement, to ‘agree in the Lord.’  He even went so far as to solicit relational help from an individual. 

But helping, without the Lord’s help, is often not helpful at all. And, as we all have learned, sometimes helping doesn’t stick the first time. When it doesn’t, anxiety is often a short-term fruit. 

In those moments of anxiety, let’s remember that the Lord is right here in the awkwardness and turn to him in prayer, asking him to restore what is beyond our abilities or circumstances.

More About the Will of God

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand the will of the Lord.”
Ephesians 5:17

When Paul writes in Ephesians 5:17, “understand the will of the Lord,” he immediately continues, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery.”

Merriam-Webster defines debauchery as extreme, wild behavior that overindulges in physical pleasures such as heavy drinking, drug use, or casual sex. It often describes a messy, uninhibited lifestyle that people view as immoral.

HELPS Word-studies offers a particularly helpful insight into the word debauchery:

810 asōtía (from a "without" and sōzō, "to save") — properly, what cannot be saved; waste. Figuratively, it speaks of prodigality and spiritual wastefulness caused by excessive behavior and the destructive consequences it brings.

There is much to be said about today's church culture, where we sometimes see liberty carried to the point of excess, causing many to stumble. I am personally mindful of Paul's exhortation in Romans 14 not to promote anything that could cause another believer to stumble.

Paul then continues, showing us more of the Lord's will in Ephesians 5:18–21:

• “But be filled with the Spirit,

• giving thanks always and for everything...

• submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

There is another interesting word-study note concerning the phrase ‘for everything’.  HELPS Word-studies explains hypér (for) as expressing benefit—"for the sake of betterment," conveying the idea of improvement or extending benefit to another (see also 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Romans 8:28).

The blessing of all three exhortations lies in our willingness to obey. Every moment of "wanting to" rests within our God-given ability to choose. God is not looking for sacrifice or offerings, but for a heart like Jesus'—a heart that delights to do His will.

John's Gospel reminds us of the authority Jesus received from the Father to lay down His life and to take it up again. He laid it down for the purpose of bringing us into oneness. Our hearts should reflect that same purpose.

Being filled with the Spirit maintains our fellowship with the Father and our unity with one another. Giving thanks always, in every circumstance, keeps us mindful that God is working something good even when we cannot yet see it. Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ, walking in humble obedience and the fear of the Lord, allows His blessing to flow freely among His people.

We do these things for no other purpose than "out of reverence for Christ." Proverbs reminds us that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and Isaiah tells us that Jesus Himself delighted in the fear of the Lord.

It is often in the small, daily choices that we find ourselves faltering. The pressure that comes from people who expect immediate answers can be difficult to navigate. As a new pastor, I learned a valuable lesson from a seasoned minister who asked, "Who is requiring this of you—God, yourself, or others?  Ultimately, your obedience must rest with God."

It is a broad statement, I know, but one that has served me well in times of uncertainty.

To know that God is at work in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure, gives us confidence that we can become everything He has created us to be and accomplish everything He has called us to do.

Living with the awareness that oneness is God's purpose leads us toward maturity and spiritual growth as we choose, day by day, to delight in doing His will.

The Will of God .2

So you must be very careful how you live, not thoughtlessly, but thoughtfully, and continue to make the most of your opportunities, for the times are evil. So stop becoming senseless, but understand what the Lord's will is.”  

Ephesians 5:15–17 Williams Translation

Faith flourishes where the will of God is sought, understood, and obeyed.  James warns that the man who doubts is of two minds, unreliable in every step he takes, and must not expect to receive anything from the Lord (James 1:7–8, Williams Translation).

Ellicott's Commentary notes on Ephesians 5:17  that "the word here, 'thoughtlessly', is stronger than in Ephesians 5:15; it is properly 'senseless,' used of 'the fool' (Luke 11:40; 12:20; 1 Corinthians 15:36; 2 Corinthians 11:16, 19; 12:6, 11). By it St. Paul emphasizes his previous warning; then he adds the explanation that to be 'wise' is to 'understand what the will of the Lord is'—to know His purpose towards us and towards the world, and so to know the true purpose of our life. Hence we are told in Job 28:28 that 'the fear of the Lord is wisdom,' or, more precisely, in Proverbs 9:10, that it is 'the beginning of wisdom.’"

Again, James reminds us that if we lack wisdom, we are to ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach (James 1:5). We are to discern what is pleasing to the Lord as we walk as children of light. We present our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice and are transformed by the renewing of our minds according to His Word. Through this process, we become able to discern the will of God—that which is good, acceptable, and perfect for our lives (Romans 12:1–2).

Ellicott's Commentary further notes:

"The 'will of God' is here , not the divine attribute of will, but the thing willed by God, the right course of action. Are we to take the adjectives 'good, and acceptable, and perfect'... as in agreement with this phrase, or are they rather in apposition to it, 'that we may prove the will of God, that which is good, and acceptable, and perfect'? Most commentators prefer this latter way of taking the passage, but it is not quite clear that the former is impossible—'that good, and acceptable, and perfect thing, or course of action which God wills.' 'Acceptable,' that is to say, to God Himself."
 

Jesus, our great High Priest, who ever lives to make intercession for us, now lives to pray that we may be perfect and complete in all the will of God. Our Father, who created us and foreordained all our good works, continually works in union with His Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us into all the good He has ordained. 

We are not looking for the grand moments of life, but for the simple next step required to live in a manner pleasing to the Lord. The journey may not always look the way we expect and the process may be difficult and confusing, but He never grows weary or abandons the work He has begun until it is finished.

Our responsibility is to live continually seeking Him and His will. "Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" becomes the posture of our hearts. In that posture, we rest, knowing that as our lives are humbly submitted to Jesus Christ as Lord, our steps are ordered and established by our Father.

And we can begin right here:

• "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
  1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

• "For this is the will of God, your sanctification..."
  1 Thessalonians 4:3

• "...present your bodies as a living sacrifice..."
  Romans 12:1

The will of God is not merely something to discover, but a life to be lived—one surrendered step at a time.I

The Will of God

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
Philippians 2:13 NLT

For fuller context, our Scripture’s premise begins at verse 12 

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
Philippians 2:12–13 NKJV

We all search for the will of God as we begin to understand that we have been created by God, and for God. His purposes being worked out in our lives, growing in the knowledge of Him, and bearing fruit to His glory becomes the motivation for our days.

John 6:40 — “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life…” ESV

2 Peter 3:9 — “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” NKJV

To know that God is at work in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure, brings the awareness that we can become all that He has created us to be. There is work assigned to each of us—work written by God for the days we have been given to dwell in the here and now. The Apostle Paul knew when he had finished his course, saying; “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

While we work out our own salvation, we are governed by so many clear instructions concerning the will of God.  

From Micah 6:8,  “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

From Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus set before us the two greatest commandments: to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. He then added a further commandment in John 13:34—to love one another even as He has loved us.

This requires every believer to go beyond self-interest and to love sacrificially. While Matthew’s Gospel highlights the commandment to love, the Apostle Paul reminds us that, “love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). As new creations in Christ, we are to live by this commandment to love, allowing it to govern all our activity.

Jesus embraced the body prepared for Him through the willing obedience He yielded to the Father. He presented His body to the Father as a living sacrifice for us.

“Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said:

‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ” 

Hebrews 10:5–7 ESV 

Knowing the Father’s will for our lives means living in daily alignment with the Word He has revealed to our hearts and trusting Him for the grace He imparts so that we may become doers of His Word.

For it is God who is working in us—both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Show Me Your Glory

“…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14

 

It would seem that much of the current charismatic church culture in North America, at least as I have experienced it, is focused on encountering God through intimate times of worship. On the other hand, there are those who seek to understand God primarily through reason and study—that is, through an understanding built by the careful study of Scripture. Left to their own extremes, both approaches can be dangerous.
 

Man is a created being, created to be creative. Every individual has been given an eternal spiritual drive to create, each with a unique expression of that creativity. It is through our personal experiences with God that we begin to understand, through rational reflection, who He is and how He works. Experience and understanding were designed to work together.
 

While we would all love to see the Lord in person, it is important to remember that every time we experience His grace, mercy, love, and faithfulness, we are seeing the glory of God manifested. We must have eyes to see these things in our daily lives, be quick to acknowledge God's workings, and give thanks to Him for them.
 

When God revealed His glory to Moses in Exodus 34, He did so not by displaying overwhelming power, but by proclaiming His own character—merciful, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

From today’s verse in John's Gospel, we learn that God's glory, as revealed in Jesus, is full of grace and truth. These are both received through our experience, alongside the knowledge and understanding that comes through Scripture.
 

Jesus manifested God's will, His nature, and His purposes every day. His question to Philip in John 14:9 reveals this truth: "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"
 

Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration of Jesus. Theirs was an experience that lay within the sovereignty of God. While Jesus was the Word made flesh and could be physically seen, we are still able to "see" Him as we feed on Scripture and acknowledge that every tangible good thing we receive each day has come from Him.
 

Moses' encounter with God began with a bush that burned without being consumed. His journey to learn and know God began when he turned aside to look. His understanding was formed through very natural experiences touched by the supernatural workings of God, with God speaking words that both defined and refined his understanding.
 

Failing to see, failing to acknowledge, and failing to give thanks gradually creates a dullness that can lead to hardness of heart and unbelief.  As Scripture says, "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving." There is great danger in refusing to acknowledge the goodness of God.
 

My prayer is always for eyes that see and a heart that gives thanks for the goodness He brings into my life. I want to see the glory of God in everything, always.

The Breath Of God

These all look to you,
to give them their food in due season.
When you give it to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
when you take away their breath, they die
and return to their dust.
When you send forth your Spirit, they are created,
and you renew the face of the ground.
Psalm 104:27-30

We see God's sovereignty in this psalm. The NICOT Commentary notes, "the entirety of creation... is ordered by the Creator God. Far from being a realm of chaos that falls outside of the Lord's providence, everything falls within the Lord's orderly creation... a trustworthy, discernible order in which food is provided in due season."

The psalmist rehearses the variety of God's creation, noting that all creation looks to God for its provision.  All of His created order seems to understand that He is the provider of every good thing required. His open hand fills His creatures with good. Yet mankind so often seeks other resources to help in times of need.

I'm thankful for the many forms of practical help God has provided, but I'm also aware of the danger—and our propensity—to put our trust in something other than Him. We become accustomed to relying on the arm of the flesh and forget to look to the One who is the author and finisher of our lives.

We breathe by His breath. In verse 30, the Hebrew word translated “Spirit” is also the word used in the scriptures for “breath”. 

“Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7).

Every created thing has been made as God breathes out the word He speaks.   

"For from Him everything comes,
Through Him everything lives,
And for Him everything exists."

Romans 11:36 (Williams Translation)
 

‘When you send forth your Spirit, they are created. ’  As we consider the work of the Holy Spirit, we cannot separate Him from the activity of God's breathing. At the very beginning of creation, in Genesis 1, we find the Spirit hovering over the face of the deep as God breathes out a word, creating.  We find God breathing into the formed dust, and man becomes a living being. The conception of Jesus began with the Holy Spirit coming upon Mary. We learn from scripture that Jesus is the Spirit of Life.  
 

Perhaps this is why the psalmist joins creation and renewal together. The breath of God is not only the source of life; it is the means by which He continually renews what He has made. The same Spirit who hovered over the waters, breathed life into Adam, and overshadowed Mary is still at work today, sustaining, renewing, and giving life. Every breath serves to remind us that we live in continual dependence upon Him. 
 

May we never forget to look first to the One whose open hand provides every good gift and whose Spirit alone gives life.

Helpful?

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.
1 Corinthians 6:12

Amplified: Everything is permissible for me, but not all things are beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything [and brought under its power, allowing it to control me].

HELPS Word Studies defines the Greek word translated dominated (exousiazō) as to exercise authority over, to have power over, to control.

The KJV translates it, “I will not be mastered by anything,” while the NLT says, “I must not become a slave to anything."

Each translation conveys Paul's warning that although believers are free in Christ, they are not to live under the control of anything other than the Lord.

Paul reminds us that Jesus has set us free from sin's mastery. Grace is not a license to sin; it is God's empowerment to overcome desires that do not lead us into His best.

‘What then shall we say? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may increase? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live in it any longer?’
Romans 6:1–2

Paul continues this thought in Romans 6:13–16, urging believers not to present the members of their bodies to sin as instruments of wickedness, but to God as instruments of righteousness. Sin is no longer to be our master because we are under grace. Yet Paul also reminds us that whatever we continually yield ourselves to eventually becomes our master, whether sin that leads to death or obedience that leads to righteousness.

He echoes this same truth in Galatians:

‘For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.’
Galatians 5:1

And again,

‘For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh…'
Galatians 5:13

Christian freedom is never permission for self-indulgence. It is freedom to walk in obedience to Christ.

Paul's statement, "All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful," gives us a wise principle by which to evaluate our choices.

HELPS Word Studies defines the Greek word translated helpful (symphérō) as to bring together for profit, benefit, or advancement.

Not everything that is permissible is profitable. Not everything that is lawful contributes to spiritual growth. The question is not simply, "Can I do this?" but rather, "Will this help me grow in Christ?"

Paul understood that the body God had given him belonged to the Lord and was to be used in His service.

He also understood the threefold nature of mankind—spirit, soul, and body. In his spirit, he desired to obey God, while his flesh continually opposed that desire. The battleground was often the mind, where thoughts and desires competed for his attention. His daily choice was to yield himself to the Spirit rather than to the flesh.

To present our bodies as living sacrifices is to remember that we have been bought with a price. To bring every thought into obedience to Christ is to walk in the freedom He has provided. Lasting transformation begins as our minds are continually renewed by the Word of God.

Not everything available to us is sinful or evil. Many things are perfectly lawful, yet they may not strengthen our walk with Christ. Every believer benefits from honestly asking, Will this draw me closer to Christ, or distract me from Him?

One of the clearest indicators of our spiritual condition is found in our appetites and in the things that consistently occupy our thoughts. What captures our attention often shapes our affections.

If Paul saw the need to discipline his body and bring it into subjection, then we should pursue that same discipline through the grace God has supplied.

While every believer experiences temptation, becoming dominated by something reveals a measure of bondage. Addiction is perhaps the clearest expression of that bondage, but it begins long before addiction takes hold. Desires that seem harmless can gradually gain influence over our lives if they are left unchecked.

This is why Paul's words remain so relevant today. We are to guard our freedom carefully, refusing to allow anything—even something lawful—to become our master.

Jesus has already broken the power of sin and the flesh.

‘For sin shall not have dominion over you, because you are not under law but under grace.’
Romans 6:14

‘Behold, I have given you authority... over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you.’
Luke 10:19

‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’
Philippians 4:13

Paul concludes this beautiful theme in Galatians 5:16–25:

"Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh."

This is the freedom Christ purchased for us—not merely freedom from sin's penalty, but freedom to walk each day in the power of His Spirit.

Surely…certainly…truly

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows….”

Isaiah 53:4 

Surely, certainly, truly, absolutely, he has borne our…….

choli: sickness, illness, disease. From chalah; malady, anxiety, calamity—disease, grief, sickness.

makob: pain, sorrow, suffering......

Isaiah 53 is a "Servant Song" that speaks of God's redemptive plan for mankind. This chapter specifically reveals an individual as the Suffering Servant.  Jesus, the Servant, has become redemption to all who believe. As the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, our Heavenly Father was pleased to accept His sacrifice of life and blood as the payment for mankind's sin.

Isaiah 53:3 highlights His suffering: "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”  As the Son of Man, Jesus experienced the full range of human emotions and is able to sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).

As we consider Isaiah's prophetic words concerning Jesus, we gain a deeper understanding of God's purpose in sending His Son.  Genesis reveals God's original intent: heaven on earth, with mankind ruling and reigning over His creation.  Adam's disobedience— that is, failing to guard the garden and choosing to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—transferred dominion to Satan, who became the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested: to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).

"For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin..." (2 Corinthians 5:21).

"But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

Oswald Chambers wrote in his devotional My Utmost for His Highest, "Sin is the only explanation for grief and sorrow."

On this earth, we will continue to experience the effects of sin.  Through the new birth, however, our spirit is made alive unto God. Becoming one spirit with the Lord, we are no longer under the dominion of sin. Sin shall no longer have dominion over us (Romans 6:14). While this is a legal and spiritual reality, we are still affected daily by the fruit of sin—not only through our own temptations, but also through the choices and actions of others.

This may seem like an impossible situation to overcome, yet God's Word declares that every victory we experience comes as we agree with His Word and walk in obedience to His instruction.

"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).  He makes the way of escape. 

He sends His word (and has sent His word), the word made flesh and the word written, that heals and delivers us from destruction. 

"Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

The victory in life and over sin is found in and through Jesus Christ as Lord.

Weigh the Words #2

“A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.”
Proverbs 15:4 ESV

Dictionary.com defines perverse as: willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary.

The BSB renders our verse: “A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.”

The NLT uses the phrase “a deceitful tongue.”

The interlinear Hebrew reads: “A healing tongue is a tree of life, but crookedness in it is a breaking of the spirit.”
 

A breaking of the spirit speaks to me of something that separates unity—a division.  Since Jesus’ words are spirit and life, we will take His words as the full measure of that tree of life. In this verse, perverseness would be a word that is contrary to God's declaration. Jesus reminds us that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Amos 3:3 asks, “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?”They cannot. First Corinthians 6:17 reminds us that the one joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. We guard our spirit by watching the words we speak.
 

I cannot overemphasize the necessity of weighing our words carefully. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. Galatians 5 reminds us that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. Paul wrote to Timothy, reminding him that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
 

The following HELPS Word Studies entry shows that a sound mind is closely connected to discipline and self-control:

Cognate: 4995 (a masculine noun derived from 4998 /sṓphrōn, "truly moderate") – properly, safe-minded, issuing in prudent ("sensible") behavior that "fits" a situation, i.e. aptly acting out God's will by doing what He calls sound reasoning (used only in 2 Tim. 1:7).
 

This tells me that self-control is a choice. While we are given the ability through the power of the Holy Spirit, we must still choose to follow His leading. 
 

Growing up into Him in all things requires the exercise of spiritual disciplines—the repeated practice of those things that build and strengthen our lives spiritually. Habitual practice profoundly shapes character. Learning to restrain our words and align them with God can be as challenging as taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, but it is oh so necessary.
 

A gentle tongue is literally one that carries healing.

A gentle tongue holds back corrupt communication.

A gentle tongue is aware of the hearer and their need for grace.

A gentle tongue preserves oneness in relationships.

A gentle tongue is a tree of life.

Weigh the Words

 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God….”

Ephesians 4:29 ESV

What makes our words corrupt?  Helps Word Study gives us insight into the original meaning of this Greek word translated as “corrupt": 

4550 saprós – properly, rotten (putrid), over-ripe; (figuratively) over-done (ripened); hence, corrupt. "4550 (saprós) is (akin to sēpō, 'to rot'), primarily, of vegetable and animal substances, expresses what is of poor quality, unfit for use, putrid" (Vine, Unger, White, NT, 49); sapros – "of poor or bad quality" 

Charles B Williams produced a New Testament translation, of which his publishers noted, “In the minds of many exacting Greek scholars, this is the best translation existing in the English language today. The significant contribution of this translation and the sphere in which it surpasses the majority of others is in its bringing out the revealing tense distinction in the Greek verbs.” I've really been appreciating his work.

When it comes to Ephesians 4, Williams rendered the passage as follows:

 “You must stop letting any bad word pass your lips, but only words that are good for building up as the occasion demands, so that they will result in spiritual blessing to the hearers. You must stop offending the Holy Spirit of God by whom you have been stamped for the day of redemption. You must remove all bitterness, rage, anger, loud threats, and insults, with all malice. You must practice being kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has graciously forgiven you.”

.

We see from this that grieving the Holy Spirit occurs through the words we speak - words spoken to others, and even words we speak about ourselves.  Where there is disagreement with God, there is disorder, and disorder breeds every evil work (James 3:16).

The Apostle James in 3:6  said the tongue was a fire and soils the whole body and sets on fire the course of one’s life.  Moses said death and life are in the power of the tongue.  We eat the fruit of what we love.  If you love an unrestrained mouth, we will eat that fruit.  If we love life, we will restrain our mouths from speaking evil. 

Since Jesus spoke only what he heard the Father say, we too can do the same.  “ Quick to hear, slow to speak,” is James 1:19's admonition and gives us the pause needed before speaking quickly.  

Because our words are simply an expression of what is going on in our hearts, it serves us well to pay attention to what is going on both within and without. After all, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks….Matthew 12:34.    

Proverbs offers much wisdom when it comes to our words ~ 

• Proverbs 17:27 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,

• Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.

‘Ready, aim, fire’, is the proper sequence for hitting a target.  Some of us are more prone to fire first, without taking the time to ready, and aim, ensuring that our words minister grace to the hearer. 

William's translation of Ephesians 4:30 highlights the ongoing action ‘stop letting bad words pass your lips’, ‘stop offending the Holy Spirit.’  

The Apostle Paul’s instruction is our daily reminder that we can please the Holy Spirit by guarding our hearts and the words we speak.  

Psalm 141:3: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.”

Truth

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

John 16:13

Since it is impossible for God to lie, all His words are true; thus, His Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. 

Jesus said it was to our advantage that he left so the Holy Spirit could come.  

He has been poured out, and our lives are empowered by and through Him.  We are not to be ignorant of his working in our lives. He is the revealer.  He is our Help. He is our ADVANTAGE. 

Our advantage because he now dwells within us. Jesus came as the word of God made flesh. He revealed the heart and mind of God to all. Now, the Holy Spirit is always with us to do that. 

We can know what the Father is declaring now and the things that are to come.  Jesus prepared his disciples “to keep them from falling away”. The good, the bad, the ugly, he did not hide truth from them.   As Jesus did,  the Father is saying and telling us things to come. We can know too.  

For the Spirit of truth to benefit us, we must hold a love for the truth.  Jesus said his disciples would know the truth and the truth would set them free.  

It’s the truth I know and believe that brings me into freedom and liberty.  I’ve said, there are many things we know, but we live from what we believe.  

Second Thessalonians 2:10 reminds us that deception occurs where there is not a love for truth. It is a love for truth that saves us.

James wrote, " You have not because you ask not.  If you lack wisdom, ask God.  You don’t have because you don’t ask, or you ask amiss. You ask the wrong question. There is no right answer to a wrong question.

So.....

Ask God! 

We can’t fear the truth. 

We must love the truth. 

You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free.  

Ask the hard questions. 

He will tell us the truth.  

He will challenge the unbelief.  

He will dispel darkness with light. 

He will tell of things to come.  

We can know. 

He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying