Discipline teaches us and reveals a deep, deep love for the one who is being disciplined. We see it with our children and we see it with God.

In looking at the discipline of God*, we are going verse-by-verse through  Hebrews 12:4-13. Verses 5 and 6 come as a quote from Proverbs 3:11-12,

⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

The writer of Hebrews is pointing out how God sees us: As His children. When He disciplines us, He does it because He loves us. In order to understand how God disciplines us, we need to look at 2 Chronicles 6:23, “then hear from heaven and act and judge Your servants, punishing the wicked by bringing his way on his own head and justifying the righteous “by giving him according to his righteousness.” These are the words of Solomon when praying to God at the dedication of the Temple. Solomon is also the one who wrote most of Proverbs. By using the concept of us being God’s children, we can interpret Solomon’s prayer as the way that God disciplines His children: He allows us to suffer the consequences of our own bad choices in order for us to see our need to turn back to Him. We see it over and over again–beginning with Solomon himself–in the history of Israel, and we see over and over again God warning them of what will happen if they continue in their willful, destructive ways. Is it not the same for us? The beauty of God’s discipline can be found in Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” When we turn back to Him and commit to follow His guidance once more, our heavenly Father begins to turn our lives right-side-up again. Things won’t ever be what they were before, but He will make something beautiful and God-honoring out of our lives.

We are responsible for our own actions. God wants to show us the way of life. Jesus died so that we can have a loving, personal relationship with the Father, and His Spirit wants to guide us all the way. Let’s choose to listen to Him for everything.

Abba, we thank You that You are a “Romans 8:28” God. You allow us to make our own choices, yet You walk with us through the aftermath and consequences. Once we turn back to You, You help us get back on the way of life with You. It’s all part of our process of growing in You, isn’t it? You are so loving and gracious, patient and kind. Again, thank You. Amen.

*Concerning the first secret from Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkinson, “If your life consistently bears no fruit, God will intervene to discipline you.”

Jesus was tempted; Jesus was stressed. He gets our temptations and frustrations. He cares for us.

Even so, Jesus doesn’t excuse our spiritual laziness or our reluctance to follow Him closely. We are to exhibit the fruit of the character of God in our lives. Let’s review the first secret of the “Secrets of the Vine, by Bruce Wilkinson:

“If your life consistently bears no fruit, God will intervene to discipline you.”

To discuss the discipline of God, we go to Hebrews 12:4-13. Let’s take the first verse:

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Verse 4- Sin is willful disobedience. God hates sin because of how it devastates His children and brings harm to their relationship with Him and with each other. Jesus did not sin, but He wrestled with His flesh in the garden of Gethsemane unto the point of sweating great drops of blood. His Spirit won out, of course. Have we wrestled with our willful nature to the point of sweating great drops of blood? Does it mean as much to us to be true to the Father as it did to Jesus? It can; when we see what sin does to our relationship with the Father, we will hate it and want to have nothing to do with it. When our flesh craves things that tempt us to willfully disobey, we must remember our relationship with the Father and cry out to Him for rescue, and we cry out until we have peace–even if we sweat great drops of blood, have a friend walk away from us, give up a lifestyle, forego pleasure for peace of mind, or anything else that keeps us from fixing our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Tomorrow, we talk about the “word of encouragement” from Proverbs.

Abba, I think Jesus wrestled with the extreme stress that had been placed upon His body. We have tasted that stress in our lives. Help us to pray and to keep praying until we can pray as Jesus prayed, “Father, not my will but Yours be done” (Matthew 26:39-42). May we receive Your peace upon our souls and may angels attend us in our hour of need even as they did Jesus (Luke 22:43). Amen.

“If your life consistently bears no fruit, God will intervene to discipline you.” Bruce Wilkinson

This quote is the first secret of “Secrets of the Vine.” Understanding that the “Vinedresser” (the heavenly Father) will not cut us off from the vine, but will take us away from the dust and mud of the ground on which we (as branches) are lying, let’s look at what the Vinedresser will do for us to help us flourish once again. In Hebrews 12:4-13, the writer reminds them that the heavenly Father loves them and treats them as sons (and daughters), and has their best interest at heart. He wants them to succeed in life and in holiness.

⁴ In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. ⁵ And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
⁶ because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son” (Proverbs 3:11-12)
⁷ Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸ If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹ Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! ¹⁰ They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. ¹¹ No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
¹² Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³ “Make level paths for your feet” (Proverbs 4:26), so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Overall points are:

1. The struggle is real.
2. God loves us as His children.
3. His discipline is good for us.
4. A harvest of righteousness and peace await us.
5. Our healing is the ultimate goal.

This passage is important to our understanding of discipline and that it is different than the trials we may experience. We will look more closely at it tomorrow.

Abba, we chafe against discipline just like little children. Please help us to learn to move beyond our feelings and see the “long game.” You really do want the best for us! May we submit to Your “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16), O Lord. Amen.

We can trust Jesus to lift us up, clean us off, and help us flourish again.

From, Secrets of the Vine, page 35, “When the branches fall into the dirt, God doesn’t throw them away or abandon them. He lifts them up, cleans them off, and helps them flourish again.” Note: If you haven’t read yesterday’s post, I encourage you to do so now. It will help explain this statement.

When Jesus had finished washing the disciples’ feet, He told them, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you” (John 13:10). Jesus was declaring the disciples clean on the inside, just like the branches flow with the goodness and light of God. Notice that Judas was not clean on the inside; he showed his true colors later on that night when he betrayed the Lord Jesus with a kiss.

For the Christian, any willfulness on our part that goes against the Spirit’s leadership in our lives acts like dirt and mud on the branches and leaves of a branch that is growing along the ground. It cuts off our air and sunlight. Also, if we get twisted as we grow along the ground, the nourishment of God becomes constricted and we languish. But, Jesus will not leave us there. We can trust Him to lift us up, clean us off, and help us flourish again.

Bruce Wilkinson calls this process the First Secret of the Vine:

If your life consistently bears no fruit,
God will intervene to discipline you.

We will look more into his first secret tomorrow.

Abba, we thank You that You don’t throw us away or cut us off from the Vine! Instead, You wash us and lovingly bind us back onto the trellis where we can grow. That process can be painful, but You have great things in store for Your children. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Amen.

How do mercy and grace intertwine with branches on a grapevine? Read and see…

Chapter 3 in Secrets of the Vine deals with “the barren branch,” which relates to Christians who get stuck in their walk with Christ. Does Christ just walk off and leave us? Not at all! He works with us until we get unstuck. What kinds of things cause us to get stuck? Anger, bitterness, unforgiveness of oneself and/or others, uncontrolled or misdirected grief, unrealistic and unmet expectations, complacency, and an unrepentant heart are a few of the things that keep us from walking close to Christ and get us stuck in the proverbial mud. To see what Christ does for us during those times, we look at the vine that has fallen or grown in the dust and mud.

(from page 34 and 35) “New branches have a natural tendency to trail down and grow along the ground…they don’t bear fruit down there…the branch becomes sick and useless.” The workers walk through the vineyard looking for those branches. They carry pails of water and strips of cloth. When they find a branch that has trailed in the dust and mud, they take it and wash it off and then tie it back onto the trellis where it can flourish.

John 15:2 provides quite an explanation of this process in our lives, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” Sounds dreadful, doesn’t it? There are two things in this verse that we need to know.

1. “In me” is reserved for those who are in Christ. He’s not talking about people who don’t follow Him, but those who do. We take great comfort that He loves us and will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
2. “Cuts off” has a better translation, “lifts up.” It makes better sense, doesn’t it? The Greek word is airei. Its definition is: to raise, take up, lift. Its order of usage: I raise, lift up, take away, remove. Jesus “takes away” the branch from the mud, not from the vine. “Airei” never means “cuts off.”* “Takes away” or “cuts off” is an unfortunate (and misleading) interpretation* in the NIV, NLT, ESV, KJV, NKJV, NASB, and many more.**

When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He was demonstrating this illustration. When He mentioned it in the vineyard, I’ll bet that they remembered that He had washed their feet that very evening. Jesus doesn’t give up on us; instead, “He gives us mercy and grace in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). When we feel stuck, let’s turn to Him–run to Him–and ask for help. He is waiting with open arms!

Abba, we thank You for Your mercy and grace. “Mercy” is more than You not giving us what we deserve; it’s all about Your ever-present compassion for us when we turn to You, and then You providing what we need in order to heal and be restored. We live in Your “unmerited favor,” which is grace. Why would we ever look anywhere else for help when You have offered us Your mercy and grace? Teach us to turn and run to You all the time, every time. Amen.

*Page 33

**Bible Hub

The exciting–and scary–part of relationship with the Father is free will. He always honors that boundary. Will we remain in Him?

Yesterday, we discovered that to have an abundant life is to stay connected to the vine. Bruce Wilkinson says*,

…a remarkably abundant life…[is] how we find our greatest personal fulfillment, now and for eternity. You’d think that something so crucial to God’s plan would happen automatically in your life and mine. Nothing could be further from the truth. For the vineyard to really produce, the branches have to respond to the attentions of the vinedresser [God].

The way to move from “no fruit” to “some fruit” to “more fruit” to “much fruit” is to choose rightly according to the Holy Spirit. The amount of fruit in our lives is directly related to the amount of cooperation we have with the Spirit. We were created to have this type of intimate relationship and fellowship with the Father, and this brings Him glory! Jesus came to make it possible to have that relationship again. In fact, He is prompting us right now through His Spirit. The decision to do so is up to us. All we have to do is choose to take Him up on it. Today, tomorrow, and everyday.

Abba, choosing You everyday over our own will can be difficult, but You give us strength and perseverance. When we do, we sense Your presence and we feel Your love, joy and peace. We feel confident and safe, which is a big deal! May we learn how to love You more and more as You demonstrate Your love for us everyday. Amen.

*Page 22-23

Good works flow from good moral character. Where do we get that character? From our heavenly Father through His Son!

As we begin chapter 2 of the book, “Secrets of the Vine,” by Bruce Wilkinson, we find the disciples with Jesus in a vineyard. In John 15, Jesus said,

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

⁵ I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. 

⁸ My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

We know that God the Father is the Vinedresser and that Jesus is the Vine that connects us to the ground. We are branches of the Vine. We also know that as branches, our job is to keep a healthy attachment to the Vine in order for the Vine to produce fruit in us. What kind of fruit? According to Bruce Wilkinson, “fruit” and “good works” are used nearly interchangeably*, and he gives as an example Titus 3:14, “Let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” Our goal as Christ followers is to grow (it’s a process) to be like Him in character, which translates into deeds. Our best witness is a godly life. Let’s allow Him to grow godly fruit in us. This daily interaction between Him and us is called, “abiding.” We’ll discuss what it means to abide tomorrow. We will also discuss two passages that tell us about God’s character.

Abba, one of Your characteristics is Your patience. I wish patience meant that I feel patient. Instead, the time to show patience is when I DON’T feel patient. That’s when I need you in a big way! And that’s when You give grace in my time of need. Thank You for caring, for sharing, and for walking with me always. You sure love Your children, don’t You? And we are glad! Amen.

*Page 20

Jesus wants us to have His joy, and that our joy would be full. Who wouldn’t want some of that?!

As we continue our study of the book, “Secrets of the Vine,” we find the disciples–less Judas–with Jesus in the upper room. He has:

1. Told them He is going away, but that He would come back for them (John 14:1-3).
2. Reminded them that to see Him is to see the Father (John 14:9).
3. That He would not leave them as orphans, but would come to them (John 14:19).
4. That He would be sending the Holy Spirit as His Advocate (John 14:26).
5. He is leaving them with a gift–peace of mind and heart, plus the promise to return (John 14:27).

At this point, they leave to go to the garden of Gethsemane. To do so, they must cross the Kidron Valley where grapes are grown. As they walk, Jesus uses the vines as an object lesson. Jesus begins the lesson:

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” John 15:1

In this scenario, God the Father is the caretaker of the vineyard. He planted it, arranged it, tends it, and receives the fruit of His labors. Jesus is the main vine that is connected to the earth. He will tell us in verse 2 that we are the branches that are connected to the Vine, Jesus.

Exercise: Read again John 15:1-11.

• What does a branch receive from the Vine?
• What would cause a branch not to flourish?
• In verse 11, Jesus tells them His intention. What is it?
• The answers to these questions are for tomorrow!

Abba, this graphic illustration that You have given us of how we relate to You is not “take-it-or-leave-it.” You were describing what will make us flourish and grow, what will give us the greatest joy, and what will bring You the greatest honor. May we take Your words to heart, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Jesus said, “A servant is not greater than his master;” Are we honoring Him as Master of our lives?

As we delve into the book, Secrets of the Vine, by Bruce Wilkinson, we find our ourselves listening in on Jesus talking to His disciples about grapes, vines and vineyards. Bruce believes that Jesus’ final words to His disciples that fateful night before He death are so little understood today that he calls them “secrets,” but is convinced that Jesus meant for their meaning to be clear.* Jesus began that evening by washing the disciples’ feet. He told them,

““Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³ You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. ¹⁴ If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶ Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 13:12-17

If we are going to grasp what Jesus was saying, we must look at His life: He left His throne in heaven to come to earth, grow up as a regular Israelite, and then live the life of an iterant preacher with 12 specific disciples and a large entourage of other disciples including women (Luke 10:1, Mark 15:40-41). He cared for them as His own little lambs (John 21:15) and had compassion on the multitudes (Matthew 9:36). He lived His entire life so that everyone could know God personally and see what God is like by looking at Him (John 14:9). Now Jesus demonstrates what He has been doing this entire time, which was washing them clean. He would do that for the entire world in a few hours.

As we study Jesus’ teaching on the vine from John 15:1-8, let us do so with our hearts and minds intent on doing what Jesus says (Spoiler Alert: It’s all about learning to abide in Him).

Exercise: Read John 13-14 and try to envision it from the disciples’ viewpoint. What were they expecting? What else went on that evening that was a surprise to them all? What promises did Jesus make?

Lord Jesus, You have made it plain. We see it because we are looking BACK on it. Our heart goes out to the disciples who had to live through the events that made all You promised possible. But, they did live through it, and got to see You resurrected and ascended, and they got to experience Pentecost! Their lives and teachings are the foundation of our hope in You along with the Holy Spirit. May we take seriously Your words to them that night even as they did. Amen.

*Secrets of the Vine, page 8

God wants “abundance” for us and longs for us to cooperate with Him to make it happen.

“Secrets Of the Vine” was published in 2001 by Multnomah Publishers. I read the book when it first came out, and then re-read it recently. I wondered if the lessons I had retained from the first reading would be different the second time around, and they were, but not like I thought. I expected them to possibly seem elementary to me now–quite the opposite! I was able to see deeper into their truths because of my experiences over the last 23 years. I recommend anyone of any age, from youth up, to read this book; it has life-changing truths in it.

The backdrop is from John 15 when Jesus is walking with His disciples through the vineyards of the Kidron Valley on their way to the garden of Gethsemane. It is Jesus’ last time of teaching before His crucifixion and He had some vital truths to share with them. So, let’s start by reading the passage:

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
⁵ “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ⁶ If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. ⁸ By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. NKJV

As we walk through this book, we will see (taken from the Table of Contents):

1. Stories from the Vineyard
2. What God Wants
3. The Best Good News (you didn’t want to hear)
4. Love by Degrees
5. A Country Awakening
6. Flourishing under the Shears
7. More of God, More with God
8. Living in the Presence
9. Joyful Abundance

This caption is included: For disciples who ever wondered if a life of extraordinary abundance just might be their birthright.” When we get finished with the study, we will all see that “extraordinary abundance” is exactly what Christ wants for all His children.

Exercise: Read the passage again and count the number of times these words are used: Vine, branch, fruit, abide. (hint: they are in progressive order). Ask yourself, “Why were these words important to Jesus?” “Why are they important for me?”

Abba, You spoke much through Jesus to the disciples using allegory and illustration to express heavenly truth using earthly language. Your Spirit reveals Your heart to us, Your love in us, and Your plan for us. May we hold off reserving judgment and just plan on receiving all that You have for us in this book. We study to know You; please, reveal Yourself to us. Amen.

FYI, this study will take several days. If you get the urge to buy the book and read it, please do so. It will help you greatly to mark the passages yourself that speak to you. Amazon

I would like to make a correction and a confession:

I had stated in a previous post that beyond the apostles, Ignatius was the first known martyr for Jesus Christ. That is not correct. We have the account of Stephen in Acts 8:54-60. In Revelation 2:13, we read about the faithful witness, Antipas:

¹³ I know where you live [Pergamum]—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.

Revelation was written before the turn of the first century, yet Ignatius was martyred in 108. Many of the first generation Christians were martyred, including James the brother of Jesus, and there are many, many more martyrs, both named and unnamed, who are forever honored in God’s eyes.

My confession is that I need more time to research before continuing with the early apostolic fathers. So, tomorrow, we will begin a study of The Secrets of the Vine by Bruce Wilkinson. It’s a great, little book that packs a BIG punch.

Abba, You tell us that You will walk with us all the way to Glory. You promise to hold our hands, and that You will guide us along the way (Psalm 73:23-24). You have warned us that we will be persecuted if we follow Jesus; most of us have not seen much persecution, but we all have left something or gone without something for His sake. Why do we follow You? Peter said it best, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69). Regardless of what happens to us on this earth, O Lord, we will be faithful because the One who has called us, which is You, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9*). May Your name be raised and praised! Amen.

*1 Corinthians 1:9 “God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Looking back to the Apostolic Fathers helps us learn our roots. It’s amazing how much of what we believe has not changed!

Continuing from where we left off from yesterday as we study the letter to the Ephesians from Ignatius of Antioch in 108 A.D:

Now the virginity of Mary was hidden from the prince of this world, as was also her offspring, and the death of the Lord; three mysteries of renown, which were wrought in silence, but have been revealed to us. A star shone forth in heaven above all that were before it, and its light was inexpressible, while its novelty struck men with astonishment. And all the rest of the stars, with the sun and moon, formed a chorus to this star. It far exceeded them all in brightness, and agitation was felt as to whence this new spectacle [proceeded]. Hence worldly wisdom became folly; conjuration was seen to be mere trifling; and magic became utterly ridiculous. Every law of wickedness vanished away; the darkness of ignorance was dispersed; and tyrannical authority was destroyed, God being manifested as a man, and man displaying power as God. But neither was the former a mere imagination, nor did the second imply a bare humanity; but the one was absolutely true, and the other an economical arrangement. Now that received a beginning which was perfected by God. Henceforth all things were in a state of tumult, because He meditated the abolition of death.

What can we learn from this passage? This may take a while…

• Now the virginity of Mary was hidden from the prince of this world, as was also her offspring, and the death of the Lord; three mysteries of renown, which were wrought in silence, but have been revealed to us. The Plan of Redemption was not kept secret from Satan (the prince of this world, John 12:31) and his minions, the rulers and principalities of this world, for each prophecy was written hundreds of years before, but the times, people, and places had not been announced to the world. Thus, the revelation of Mary’s virginity and subsequent virgin birth was given personally by Gabriel (Luke 1:31), and the first hint to Herod of the “King of the Jews” being born was from the Magi (Matthew 2:1-2). In 1 Corinthians 2:8, we find that if the powers of this world had known what Jesus was doing through the cross, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. Now, this truth is revealed worldwide!
• A star shone forth in heaven above all that were before it, and its light was inexpressible, while its novelty struck men with astonishment. And all the rest of the stars, with the sun and moon, formed a chorus to this star. It far exceeded them all in brightness, and agitation was felt as to whence this new spectacle [proceeded]. This writing was a 100+ years after Christ’s birth, and the story of the star of Bethlehem was still going strong–and still is today! Whether it was natural or supernatural doesn’t matter; it was the timing and placement of the star that gave it significance. Sure enough, it caused the Magi to load up and head for Jerusalem!

We will pick it up here tomorrow as Ignatius begins his description of the “fallout” of the Incarnation. May we read the account of the Incarnation with new eyes given to us by Ignatius.

Abba, You continue to open our eyes to new ways of seeing things. May we always keep an open mind to the Spirit as He reveals truth to us in due season. We are hungry for more, Abba! We hunger and thirst after righteousness; You have promised to fill us! (Matthew 5:6)

Where did we get our beliefs about Jesus Christ? From the apostles, who passed it on to their disciples, etc.

In the year of 108 A.D, Ignatius of Antioch (of Syria) was on his way to the arena in Rome to die for his belief in Jesus as Lord, yet he spent his trip from Antioch to Rome writing letters to various churches. In his letter to the church at Ephesus, he talked about Jesus Christ the man, His incarnation, and baptism. Ignatius was a disciple of John the apostle; we can treasure his words because they can be verified in the teachings of St. Paul,

The cross of Christ is indeed a stumbling-block to those that do not believe, but to the believing it is salvation and life eternal. “Where is the wise man? where the disputer? ” Where is the boasting of those who are called mighty? For the Son of God, who was begotten before time began , and established all things according to the will of the Father, He was conceived in the womb of Mary, according to the appointment of God, of the seed of David, and by the Holy Ghost. For says [the Scripture], “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and He shall be called Immanuel.” He was born and was baptized by John, that He might ratify the institution committed to that prophet.

What can we learn from this passage?

• Ignatius must have been familiar with Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 1:23, “but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness;” he also quoted from 1 Corinthians 1:20.
• He then gave us a run-down of the Incarnation: The Son of God, begotten outside of time, conceived in the womb of Mary, of the seed of David, and by the Holy Spirit.
• Ignatius quoted Isaiah 7:14, thus applying this prophecy directly to Jesus, as did Matthew in Matthew 1:22-23.
• Jesus was born in the usual way (nothing spectacular there–except for a virgin birth, angels, shepherds, and eventually, wise men).
• He was baptized by John, thus confirming John’s “prophet” status (as Elijah, Matthew 11:14) and message, ““As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).

Ignatius packed a lot of Scripture and doctrine into his letter, didn’t he?! We will read more from him tomorrow concerning the Incarnation and the miracles that went with it.

Abba, it is humbling and relieving to know that much of what we believe today can be found already stated, tried, and experienced in the apostolic fathers. Thank You that these resources have, in the past 60-80 years, become public knowledge in English. May we take the time to learn all we can from our fellow Christians who either walked with the apostles or were trained by the apostles. Amen.

“See the love of God expressed through His Church.” What would it take for the world to say this of us?

We continue to learn that Ignatius (a disciple of John the Apostle) had much to say to the Ephesian church family. Unknowingly, he has a lot to say to us, today. At a time when tempers rise quickly over many matters, we would do well to remember these words of Ignatius. The complete paragraph is printed at the end of this post*.

And pray ye without ceasing in behalf of other men; for there is hope of the repentance, that they may attain to God…Be ye therefore the ministers of God, and the mouth of Christ…Be ye humble in response to their wrath; oppose to their blasphemies your earnest prayers…Conquer ye their harsh temper by gentleness, their passion by meekness…Let us make them brethren by our kindness. For say ye to those that hate you, Ye are our brethren, that the name of the Lord may be glorified. And let us imitate the Lord, “who…prayed for His enemies, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” If any one, the more he is injured, displays the more patience, blessed is he. If any one is defrauded, if any one is despised, for the name of the Lord, he truly is the servant of Christ. Take heed that no plant of the devil be found among you, for such a plant is bitter and salt. “Watch ye, and be ye sober,” in Christ Jesus.

What can we learn from this part of his letter?

• We are to pray without ceasing for those who would oppose us and our message. We pray that they turn to God and live!
• We are to be ministers of God and the mouth of Christ. We are to bear witness to the truth of Jesus Christ.
• We are to be humble in response to their wrath; it displays the love of Christ.
• We hear their blasphemies and are to immediately turn to God in prayer.
• We are to conquer their harsh tempers with gentleness, their passion with meekness.
• We are to treat haters like family; the Lord is glorified when we do.
• Ignatius lists Moses and David, and quotes Paul and Jesus, all as examples of meekness. We are to follow their example.
• When we are injured, defrauded, or despised, we are to bear them with patience. In doing so, we show ourselves as servants of Christ.
• We must make sure that a root of bitterness doesn’t spring up in our lives. We are to soberly (seriously, with great attention) keep watch.

Ignatius lived during a time when Christianity was not popular–even dangerous! He, himself, wrote this letter on his way to die in the arena for his faith. We can live in such a way and call others to live in this way. Let’s adopt the Jesus Way and watch God do mighty and miraculous things in our world!

Abba, You call us to live differently than the world, which is tough. But, You give mercy and grace in our time of need. May we grow strong in You during times of tribulation, and grow together, as well. Unify our hearts, O Lord. May we be brave and courageous, knowing that the outcome of our faith is eternal life. Amen.

*And pray ye without ceasing in behalf of other men; for there is hope of the repentance, that they may attain to God. For “cannot he that falls arise again, and he that goes astray return?” Permit them, then, to be instructed by you. Be ye therefore the ministers of God, and the mouth of Christ. For thus saith the Lord, “If ye take forth the precious from the vile, ye shall be as my mouth.” Be ye humble in response to their wrath; oppose to their blasphemies your earnest prayers; while they go astray, stand ye stedfast in the faith. Conquer ye their harsh temper by gentleness, their passion by meekness. For “blessed are the meek ; ” and Moses was meek above all men; and David was exceeding meek. Wherefore Paul exhorts as follows: “The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle towards all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves.” Do not seek to avenge yourselves on those that injure you, for says [the Scripture], If I have returned evil to those who returned evil to me.” Let us make them brethren by our kindness. For say ye to those that hate you, Ye are our brethren, that the name of the Lord may be glorified. And let us imitate the Lord, “who, when He was reviled, reviled not again ; ” when He was crucified, He answered not; “when He suffered, He threatened not ; “but prayed for His enemies, “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do.” If any one, the more he is injured, displays the more patience, blessed is he. If any one is defrauded, if any one is despised, for the name of the Lord, he truly is the servant of Christ. Take heed that no plant of the devil be found among you, for such a plant is bitter and salt. “Watch ye, and be ye sober,” in Christ Jesus.

Ignatius knew the Bible before it was a bible. His letters read like a Sunday School lesson!

The more I study the letter of Ignatius to the church in Ephesus, the more I see the teachings of the apostles and the teachings of Christ. In this next excerpt, we see the teachings of both Christ and John,

Wherefore none of the devices of the devil shall be hidden from you, if, like Paul, ye perfectly possess that faith and love towards Christ which are the beginning and the end of life. The beginning of life is faith, and the end is love. And these two being inseparably connected together, do perfect the man of God; while all other things which are requisite to a holy life follow after them. No man making a profession of faith ought to sin, nor one possessed of love to hate his brother. For He that said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God,” said also, “and thy neighbour as thyself.” Those that profess themselves to be Christ’s are known not only by what they say, but by what they practice. “For the tree is known by its fruit.”

What can we learn from this excerpt?

• Traps and devices seen in the light of Jesus Christ are not hidden, “so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” 2 Corinthians 2:11
• The New Testament word for perfect (Matthew 5:48) is teleios, which means “having reached it’s end,” “full grown,” “mature,” and, “complete.” It’s not that we must first have these in order to possess faith and love towards Christ, but that we receive faith and love, and then learn by going through the necessary stages to become mature or “perfect” in both, “And these two being inseparably connected together, do perfect the man of God.”
• Our walk with Christ begins with faith: Faith in His love and His promise that He did what He said He did and will do for us what He said He would do. Our walk ends with the surety of His love as we walk into eternity with Him.
• Our faith in God and His love for us is why we follow Him. All other aspects of our lives fall under these inseparable truths. Because of our faith in His love for us, we walk in His ways with Him all the way. Along the way, He teaches us how to live holy, righteous, and godly lives, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,“ Titus 2:11-12
• When we come to Christ, our desires change; we now want to please God. Learning how to avoid sin is Holiness 101 in Christ’s School of Divinity, “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 1 John 2:1
• “No man making a profession of faith ought to sin, nor one possessed of love to hate his brother” comes straight from John the Apostle’s teaching, “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 3:10. Remember, we may not “feel loving” toward someone, but we are to still demonstrate love to them, which holds true for demonstrating respect and forgiveness whether we “feel” those things or not. Many times, the feeling comes with or after the action!
• Ignatius applied the teaching of Christ about loving God and loving others (Matthew 22:36-40) with another of Christ’s teachings, “The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil” (Matthew 12:33-37). It is important for us to remember that, “Those that profess themselves to be Christ’s are known not only by what they say, but by what they practice.”

As Ignatius headed for the arena and certain death, he took the time to remind his brothers and sisters in Christ of that which was most important to him. We would do well to make them important to us, as well.

Abba, reading Ignatius is like listening to him teach in Sunday School. He certainly took the words of the apostles about the life and teachings of Christ and the apostolic letters and “accurately handled them” (2 Timothy 2:15). May we learn to do the same and to teach others the way of righteousness through faith and love. Amen.

Prayer changes things. It also changes us and helps us to see our surroundings differently.

As Ignatius continued to encourage the church of Ephesus, he gave a great reason to go to church, which is to connect, give thanks together, to praise together, and to pray together.

Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when ye come frequently together in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and his “fiery darts” urging to sin fall back ineffectual. For your concord and harmonious faith prove his destruction, and the torment of his assistants. Nothing is better than that peace which is according to Christ, by which all war, both of aërial and terrestrial spirits [spirits of heavenly and earthly things*], is brought to an end. “For we wrestle not against blood and flesh, but against principalities and powers, and against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.” [Ephesians 6:12]

What can we learn from this passage?

1. He exhorts the people to come together often;
2. The purpose of their gathering is to give thanks to God and to show forth His praise;
3. What happens when we frequently meet together to give thanks and praise?
   • The powers of Satan are destroyed in our lives as we align ourselves with the Risen Savior,
   • His “fiery darts” that urge us to fall back into sin are rendered ineffectual,
   • Our unified and harmonious faith prove that he really has no power over us,
   • Our victory in Christ torments his assistants,
   • And the peace we have in Christ ends the war in our hearts, and eventually all war.
4. Paul’s verse from his letter to the Ephesians, one with which they would have been very familiar, Ephesians 6:12, puts everything into perspective. We wrestle through prayer.

When we begin to see the moral and spiritual forces, attitudes, concepts and perceptions that are behind our circumstances, we will realize that the physical world is symptomatic of the spiritual world. The things that happen in the physical world are the tip of the iceberg when compared to the spiritual world. We fight against our upbringing, our culture, our tendencies, our temperaments, and our own fleshly desires before that fight ever shows up in the physical world. Being able to discern the powers that war against the godly and seduce the unknowing give us compassion for those who struggle to “fight the good fight of faith,” and for those who are caught in traps laid for them by the evil one. Our prayers mean more than ever when we acknowledge our need for connection to the Father and to each other. We need the bracing up of each other in prayer; we need the armor that goes with prayer; we need the focus and attitude that comes through prayer; we need the love and loyalty that abound because of the vested interest we have in each other through prayer, and we need the saturation we receive from the Father of His love, joy and peace that flow from Him to us in prayer.

As God brings people to mind, lift them up to Him in prayer. Let’s see how often we an remember to do it!

Abba, I ask that You would call my attention to prayer with every person I think about today. Even if I think of the same person several times today, may I lift that person up each time in prayer to You. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17) is actually something that we can achieve through practice and having the right heart attitude. Help us to learn that right heart attitude, Lord, and to practice, practice, practice. Amen.

*ANF01. The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus

We have a treasure in the writings of Ignatius, who proved his discipleship of the Lord Jesus Christ through his life and martyrdom.

Continuing in Ignatius’ letter to the Ephesians, we find a wonderful description of the relationship between the Father and the Son,

But our Physician is the only true God, the unbegotten and unapproachable, the Lord of all, the Father and Begetter of the only-begotten Son. We have also as a Physician the Lord our God, Jesus the Christ, the only-begotten Son and Word, before time began, but who afterwards became also man, of Mary the virgin. For “the Word was made flesh.” Being incorporeal, He was in the body; being impassible, He was in a passible body; being immortal, He was in a mortal body; being life, He became subject to corruption, that He might free our souls from death and corruption, and heal them, and might restore them to health, when they were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts.

In this passage we learn:

1. God is our Physician;
2. He is unbegotten (has always been), and we cannot approach Him in our physical form;
3. He is Lord of all and the Father of Jesus Christ, who is our Physician, as well;
4. Jesus is the only-begotten Son and Word, before time began (John 17:24);
5. Jesus was incorporeal, impassible, immortal, and life, yet became corporeal, passible, mortal and subject to corruption so that…
6. He could free our souls from death and corruption; He healed us and restored us to health;
7. We needed healing because we were diseased with ungodliness and wicked lusts.

Ignatius, being a disciple of St. John the Apostle, learned this teaching from John, who learned it from Jesus. We can trust this teaching on the relationship shared between God the Father and God the Son.

Abba, it is comforting to read insights from someone who lived so close to Jesus’ time and was a disciple of John. Thank You for having Ignatius write it down for us. As we study these apostolic fathers, ones who learned from the apostles themselves, may we open our hearts to their teaching and grasp the wisdom of their lessons. Amen.

Ignatius calls for us to live lives that “sing to God.” What was he talking about?

We began yesterday a study of Ignatius, the disciple of St. John the Apostle. As Ignatius was on his way to his execution, he wrote seven letters to congregations. Today, we will look into his letter to the Ephesians.

Ignatius began his letter in true Pauline fashion according to letter-writing of that day. He spoke of enduring and unchangeable glory, passion, happiness, love and grace found in Jesus Christ. Then, he made this statement,

For, on hearing that I came bound from Syria for the common name and hope, trusting through your prayers to be permitted to fight with beasts at Rome, that so by martyrdom [suffering] I may indeed become the disciple of Him who gave Himself for us, an offering and sacrifice to God, Ephesians 5:2 [you hastened to see me ]. earlychristianwritings.com

We learn from this statement that:

1. He was bound from Antioch in Syria where he was pastor (bishop);
2. The “common name and hope” is Jesus Christ;
3. The “beasts at Rome” were lions in the arena to which Caesar Trajan sentenced him (Christianity.com);
4. Ignatius believed that suffering helped him become (as in achieving the fullness of) a disciple of Christ, and martyrdom was the ultimate fulfillment of discipleship. Peter said something similar in his letter, “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:20-21).
5. We find that a delegation hastened to see him on his trip, who encouraged him greatly.

Ignatius then speaks of the pastor’s priestly role in the church and worthy of honor and respect as God’s appointed leaders of the churches. He uses an interesting analogy, one of which I am partial:

14 For your famous presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop, as the strings are to the harp.
15 Therefore in your concord [agreement] and agreeing charity [love], Jesus Christ is sung; and every single person among you makes up the chorus:
16 That so being all consonant [agreeing together] in love, and taking up the song of God, ye may in a perfect unity with one voice, sing to the Father by Jesus Christ; to the end that he may both hear you, and perceive by your works, that ye are indeed the members of his son.

Ignatius’ imagery of us taking up the song of God being linked with our agreeing together in love takes our worship to a whole, new level. It implies that to be in a service together with disharmony going on negates our “song of God,” thus hindering our worship of the Savior. May we learn to set our petty differences aside and join in the song to the Father by uniting our hearts–if not our preferences–together as one song to the Lord.

Abba, my prayer is that we may, indeed, focus on loving each other in fellowship and friendship. Remembering that we are all Your children and we are all on a journey with You to become like Jesus helps us have grace for others and for ourselves. The type of suffering that Ignatius experienced is not something that most of us have had to endure. We pray to be able to live in peace with everyone, so far as it depends on us (Romans 12:18), but teach us to “bless those who persecute us; bless and do not curse them” (Romans 12:14). In the words of Ignatius, that we “may become indeed the disciple of him who gave himself to God,” that is, Jesus Christ. Amen.

More from his letter to the Ephesians tomorrow…

The apostle John had disciples?! What were their names? What were they known for? Read on…

As we begin our look at early church fathers, we will start with the disciples of St. John the Apostle, who were Ignatius, the bishop (pastor) of Antioch (in Syria) and Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna. Ignatius was martyred around 110 AD by Caesar Trajan*. On his way to his execution, Ignatius was allowed to visit Christians, and he wrote a series of letters as he went. These letters have survived to this day. In them Ignatius refutes the heresies of Gnosticism and Docetism. The basis of these heresies was the pagan belief in dualism: spirit is good, flesh is evil. Ignatius stressed that Jesus, as God, came to earth as a man in order to die in our place; had He not come in the flesh, He could not have died.

Another theme in his letters was the organization and authority of the early church and the difference between bishops and elders. He continued the teachings of the apostles and Paul (also considered an apostle), who taught that the bishop was the leader of his church with the elders in assistance.

 In the letter to the church at Smyrna (where Polycarp was bishop), he wrote, “Follow, all of you, the bishop, as Jesus Christ followed the Father. Wherever the bishop appears, there let the people be, even as wheresoever Christ Jesus is, there is the catholic [universal] church. It is not lawful apart from the bishop either to baptize or to hold a love-feast [the Lord’s Supper].”**

Ignatius was the first known Christian martyr beyond the apostles, the first to use the word, catholic, which simply meant the universal church of all believers at that time, and the first to mention the virgin birth. He firmly believed in the deity of Christ and His resurrection. His letters are available in English at Ignatius of Antioch.

We will look at his letter to Ephesus tomorrow. For today, let us praise God for men of such faith. We praise God for the women of faith, as well, and we will look at a few of them along the way.

Abba, we praise You for raising up early disciples like Ignatius. His life is remembered because of his letters, but we know that he was much more than the sum of his letters. May we grow in faith as we study what it was that was so important to Ignatius for him to write it down on the way to his execution. Make us strong and valiant, O Lord, to be able to face wickedness as Ignatius did. We know his reward was great: “To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (the letter to the church in Ephesus, Revelation 2:7). Blessed be Your name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

*GotQuestions.org

**GotQuestions.org 2

Studying the “great cloud of witnesses”* that have gone on before us can help us live godly lives today.

Reading outside our comfort zones can stretch and grow us. We take what we read and apply it to Scripture, doing what the Berean Jews did with Paul’s teachings, “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. ¹¹ Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. ¹² Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men” (Acts 10-12). Had these Jews not listened outside their comfort zones, they would not have received Paul’s message. Instead, may Jews came to believe as well as many Greek men and women.

In doing some research I came across this teaching on habitus. It sounds a lot like Christian discipleship, but more pointed:

The habitus of theology is the God-given disposition or temperament for receiving, confessing, and living in accord with divine teaching. It includes several things: Reverence for God and His will (cf. the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer); teachableness before Holy Scripture; gratitude to God for the wisdom of the saints, especially when our own judgment becomes too idiosyncratic; and a sense that growth in understanding comes about more by prayer and repentance than by philosophical acumen because the end of theology is fellowship with God “who dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16). From Mere Orthodoxy

When I read this teaching, I realized that my knowledge of the church Fathers is woefully lacking, so I will be looking into some. I am hoping to learn how people in the past followed Christ, and in so doing, learn how to better follow Christ today. I invite you to come with me.

Abba, even with the early church fathers, we must be careful to read with Scripture in mind. May You give us faithful guides as we study their history and learn from them. Exciting times, Lord! Amen.

*Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [from the “hall of faith” given in the previous chapter], let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,“

We can face the Father with confidence because He loves us so!

We ended yesterday’s post on 1 John 4:19, 

“We love each other as a result of His loving us first.” “And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world”* (1 John 4:17).

What can we learn from this verse?

1. God loved us first and has commanded us to love each other.
2. Living in God means to walk each day knowing that God loves us and is an integral part of our lives.
3. Our love becomes more like His everyday–when we work on it in cooperation with His Spirit in us.
4. We do not need to be afraid on the day of judgment because the Father loves us and we have moved from death to life (John 5:24).
5. We can face the Father with confidence (1 John 3:19).
6. We are like Christ here in this world (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Let’s celebrate today in the love of God as we worship together in our respective places and churches.

Abba, Your love binds us together with cords that cannot be broken. May we look for that love in others, protect that love in our relationships, and share that love in our world. May You be praised! Amen.

In a nutshell: God is love; Jesus is God; Jesus is love incarnate; we are the recipients of His love; we are to share His love with the world.

Yesterday, we covered doing whatever the Lord says to do. Today, we will cover why. God loves us. He always has and always will. He has never stopped loving us. Even sin doesn’t keep Him from loving us. In fact, “He demonstrated His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). What we often fail to see is that Christ’s Coming was a Rescue Mission. It wasn’t to stop the anger of God from falling on us sinners, but to save us from the consequences of our own actions, which destroy us and always lead to death. Jesus could physically heal everyone who comes to Him, but instead, He heals us spiritually by joining us as new creations. He wants to move us beyond this life of the consequences of sin and death to a new life with Him–beginning right NOW! We actually live two places at once: Here on planet Earth and in His kingdom at His throne with Him,

⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:4-7

Notice why God did what He did through Christ: He is rich in mercy and has great love for us, therefore, He has poured out His grace on us and has raised us up with Him. We are seated with Him in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus!

My favorite verse is John 17:24 from Jesus’ Priestly prayer. In this verse, Jesus states what His ultimate goal is for everyone who will believe in Him, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.” This verse is RICH with theology!

1. Jesus calls God His Father,
2. He puts forth His desire to the Father, and is assured of its coming to pass because He knows the Father intimately (John 17:25-26).
3. He wants us to be with Him in glory,
4. That glory has belonged to Christ since before the foundation of the world.

The apostle John says it best in 1 John 4;19, “We love each other as a result of His loving us first.” “And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we are like Christ here in this world”* (1 John 4:17).

Abba, thank You for loving us. You have expressed that love through Jesus Christ. All we can say is, “Thank You,” and then live in Your love**. You are love incarnate, Lord Jesus. Help us to learn to be like You and share Your love with the world. Amen.

*We will discuss this verse tomorrow.

**Living in God’s love calls for obedience to His Spirit. Only He knows what is truly best for us; He wants to help us navigate this world with the least amount of damage and with His will being accomplished through us with Him.

Whatever, whatever You say
Whatever, I will obey
Whatever, lord have Your way
‘Cause You are my God whatever*

Being people after God’s own heart has a much higher requirement than coasting through life. It takes determination and tenacity. We do need to take time to rest and to play, but the tendency is to take them too far. Jesus knew this about us and here’s what He had to say,

¹⁰ “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. Luke 16:10 ESV

Here it is in the New Living Translation,

¹⁰ “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. Luke 16:10 NLT

We must choose to be faithful in the little things so that we are trained to do the big things when they come along. Here’s how it works:

1. We give ourselves to the Lord for the day;
2. We ask Him to show us needs to meet, tasks to do, and people to minister to;
3. We look for opportunities to meet, do and minister to;
4. As the opportunities arise, we ask the Lord to guide and equip us.

Brother Lawrence** would tell us that the smaller the task, the dirtier, nastier, and contemptible the job, the more glory God gets from our service. Why? Because we really don’t want to do them, either! But, they need to be done, so we do them with a happy heart and joyful spirit knowing that the Lord is receiving much glory because of our obedience. These are the words we are hoping to hear:

“Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Matthew 25:21

When we put it all on the altar, our desires, wishes, and feelings, we are truly choosing to serve only one Master, the Lord Jesus. Let’s do it daily and work to keep them there.

Abba, You know how childish and selfish we can be. Help us learn to do the right thing at the right time with the right spirit. “Selective service” is not part of our calling. We need to be ready to do Whatever***. Amen.

*Refrain to “Whatever” by Steven Curtis Chapman

**Brother Lawrence-Lawrence is known for his devotion and ability to bring God into every aspect of his life. His classic Christian work, Practice of the Presence of God, details how to gain that constant and comforting connection to God. Readers have treasured this short and easy book for centuries because of Lawrence’s honest advice and his obvious passion for spiritual matters. He rejoiced in everyday tasks, prayed constantly, and was known around the monastery for his kindness and willingness to help others.

***Lyrics to “Whatever”
I made a list wrote down from A to Z
All the ways I thought that you could best use me
Told all my strengths and my abilities
I formed a plan it seemed to make good sense
I laid it out for you so sure you’d be convinced
I made my case presented my defense
But then I read the letter that you sent me
It said that all you really want from me is just

Whatever whatever you say
Whatever I will obey
Whatever lord have your way
‘Cause you are my god whatever

So strike a match set fire to the list
Of all my good intentions all my preconceived ideas
I want to do your will no matter what it is
Give me faith to follow where you lead me
Oh lord give me the courage and the strength to do (refrain)

I am not my own
I am yours and yours alone
You have bought me with your blood
Lord to you and you alone do I belong
And so whatever

It’s not so much about what Jesus can offer us, but what He has done for us. He’s proven His love; it’s time for us to prove ours.

We have asked several questions concerning what it means to be a person after God‘s own heart. What we will look at now is what is required of us. David was a man who was desperate for God. His soul ached to know God. he was able to look beyond this world to God‘s world and he wanted to be part of that world. The question is, are we willing to do the same?

Jesus spoke to this very question when he told the crowds that they would have to “hate” their own family, and even their own lives in order to follow Him,

Luke 14:26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

The Greek word for “hate” in this verse is miseo, which means, elevating one value over another. I don’t believe that Jesus was speaking of the emotion, but rather the action of choosing Him over everyone else and everything else. For most people, it is merely a matter of intent, but for many, it is a very real choice that has to be made. Doing what the Spirit tells us to do can be very difficult, especially when what He says goes countercultural. Even when we have it in writing (our Bibles), we still tend to ignore the obvious because it could be very painful. There comes a point in everyone’s life when we must decide whose will we are going to follow: His or ours. Jesus gave this promise to His disciples,

Matthew 19:28-29 Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

And then this promise to us,

And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

My prayer is that each of us would choose to run after God‘s own heart, elevating Him over all else. It’s a choice we will make throughout all our days.

Abba, we study the Scriptures to know You, and when we catch a glimpse of You, we begin to understand the scope of life and all that You have for us. When we fix our eyes on You, it’s easy to run after Your own heart because we know how much You love us and have planned for us. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

Proverbs 1:7 “Fear of the Lord is the foundation [beginning] of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Yesterday, we began to answer the question, “What are we looking for in God?” We looked for the answer in Psalm 86:11,

¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
    that I may walk in your truth;
    unite my heart to fear your name.

1. God’s way (yesterday)
2. God’s truth (yesterday)
3. Fearing His name- The best way to describe the fear of the Lord is by understanding what God can do and will do concerning those who reject Him and thus choose destruction. Those who choose Him and thus reject destruction have “a healthy respect” for Him. Jesus said,

²⁸ “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell [Gehenna*]. ²⁹ What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. ³⁰ And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

So, who are we not supposed to fear? Jesus was referring to “those who threaten you” mentioned in verse 24. Notice where Jesus goes next. He speaks of God’s creation and of sparrows, and how important even sparrows are to Him. Then He mentions that every hair on our heads are numbered (interesting note: Even bald people have hair follicles; they are just very fair, even clear, and short. They are numbered, too). It is then that Jesus makes a remarkable statement that we are more valuable than many sparrows. Who is it we ARE supposed to fear? God, not because of what He wants to do, but because of what He will have to do for those who want no part of Him.

It comes down to trust. The sparrows depend upon the Father to feed them, “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?” (Matthew 6:26). Those who trust in the Father have nothing to fear. Why? Because He will strike down anyone who doesn’t? Not at all! He loves everyone, saint and sinner. But those who reject God have no relationship with the Son and the Father through the Spirit, and there’s no inheritance as a sibling of Christ. To choose “not Christ” is to choose everything but Christ. There is naught for God to do but to honor their choice and allow them to go to Gehenna*. Because we know that not everyone gets to see Jesus for who He really is in this life, my hope is that, somehow, during the twilight moments between life and death, Jesus reveals Himself to each person and they are given the opportunity to choose Him. We simply do not know how it all works; we do know we can trust Jesus to do whatever it takes to show His love to everyone. However, He doesn’t force people to choose Him.

Now we know why God wants us to be His friends. He loves us and wants the best for us. We can trust God because of who Jesus showed us He is.

Abba, thank You for revealing Yourself to us. We trust You in what we know of You today; tomorrow, we will trust You even more, and so on. Keep revealing Yourself to us so that we can learn to be like You. It’s important for those around us for them to see Jesus in us. Amen.

*Gehenna was the trash heap outside Jerusalem’s walls. Jesus referenced it as a place of eternal waste “where the worm never dies and the fire is never quenched” (Mark 9:48). It was the worst word picture available that everyone would understand.

Is God dependable? Yes!!! He has promised to never leave us or forsake us. He gives us His Spirit as His promise.

So far, we have covered the questions, “What is God looking for in a person?” and “What is God looking for in a friend?” The next question we need to ask is, “What are we looking for in God?” I believe the answer to this question can be found in Psalm 86:11,

¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
    that I may walk in your truth;
    unite my heart to fear your name.

1. God’s way– Believing that God knows the best way to live is vital to the Christian life. He created us, therefore, He should know what is best for us. But, does God love us enough to share that way with us? I believe Jesus answered that question in Luke 11:13, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
2. God’s truth– His truth is revealed to us in the Person of Jesus Christ. Want to know God’s truth? Look at Jesus. We want truth; we want a God we can believe in. Jesus is that God. Let’s go over some facts about why we can believe Jesus:
   • He loves us – John 13:34-35 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
   • He calls us friends – John 15:15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.
   • He has removed the barrier between us and the Father – Ephesians 2:13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.
   • He has separated our sins from us as far as the east is from the west – Psalm 103:12 and Romans 8:1-2 He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.
   • He wants a personal, ongoing relationship with us – Revelation 3:20 “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.“
   • He wants His Spirit to live in us and to be with us always – John 14:16-17 “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. ¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.“
   • He will come back for us to be with Him forever – John 14:13 “When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.“
3. Fearing His name- We will talk about this one tomorrow.

Abba, we can depend on You. Jesus has done the deed and sealed the deal; those who believe in Him pass over from death to life (John 5:24). We feel safe with You because You are gentle and humble at heart (Matthew 11:29), and merciful and gracious (Hebrews 4:16). Thank You for loving us!!! Amen.

God loves us, wants to be a friend to us, and is looking for people who want to be like Him*.

As we continue our study of how to be a person after God’s own heart, we had answered the question, “What is God looking for in a person?” The answer was that God is looking for people who will be in relationship with Him, not only as their Lord and Savior, but as friends, people who will love Him and believe that He has their best interests at heart. The next question we ask is, “What is God looking for in a friend?” For the answer to that question, we turn to 1 Corinthians 13,

⁴ Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant ⁵ or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; ⁶ it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never ends.

God is looking for those who want to be like Him, who desire to display His character traits. God is love (1 John 4:8), so He is looking for people who want to be loving because He is loving**. According to this verse,

• God is patient, so He is looking for people who want to show patience;
• God is kind, so He is looking for people who want to choose kindness;
• God does not envy or boast and is not arrogant or rude, so He is looking for people who don’t want to act in these ways;
• God does not insist on His own way, so He is looking for people who don’t want to insist on their own way;
• God is not irritable or resentful, or rejoice at wrongdoing, so He is looking for people who don’t want to be irritable or resentful, or rejoice at wrongdoing;
• God rejoices with the truth, so He is looking for people who want to rejoice with the truth;
• God bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, so He is looking for people who want to bear, believe, hope and endure all things.
• God never fails, so He is looking for people who will want to learn to always trust in Him.

How could we ever even get close to “being like God?” We cannot–on our own. We were always designed to have God as our Partner in life. It is He who will guard us, guide us, and mature us (more on that tomorrow).

Let’s review: God loves us, wants to be a friend to us, and is looking for people who want to be like Him*.

Abba, we accept these truths and pledge ourselves to You, believing that You will make these character qualities become manifest in our lives. By and with Your Spirit, I know we can. Keep working with us, Lord, and as You do, we move closer and closer to being like You. Amen.

*Ephesians 5:1-2 “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. ² Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.“

**2 Chronicles 16:9 “The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.“

A friend is someone with whom we can share our heart. Who do you think gave you that desire?

We began a study yesterday about what it means to be a person after God’s own heart. Our first question is, “What is God looking for in a person?” Because we know that obedience is important (for our own sakes), and Scripture reminds us of the blessings of obedience and the built-in consequences of disobedience, we may perceive that in Adam, God was looking for a person who was obedient–but, is that all? There was so much more to their relationship than just obedience,

⁸ And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8-9

There are two things that we can deduce from this passage. One is that walking with the Lord God in the cool of the day was routine because the Lord God was looking for Adam who had hid. The second thing is that the Lord God and Adam had an ongoing relationship. They were accustomed to meeting together daily. Their friendship brings us to possibly the greatest verse in the whole Bible because it defines God’s heart,

¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:15

Jesus is “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus told His disciples, “the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God” (John 16:27). In fact, “when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me” (John 12:45). Therefore, if Jesus calls us “friends,” then we can know that God calls us “friends,” too. What is God looking for in a friend? We will discuss that question tomorrow (hint: it’s in 1 Corinthians 13).

Abba, You wanting to be friends with us is a game-changer. Friendship with You is now the filter through which we can view every verse in the Bible. It causes us to “pause and think differently” (the actual definition of repentance) about why Jesus came, His life, His death, His resurrection, and His Returning. We never need to “hide” from You. You “walk with us” at all times. May we ponder today the fact that You call us Your friends. Amen.

Do we need to be afraid that God knows us inside and out and that our thoughts are laid open to Him plain as day? No! He loves us!

King David was a man after God’s own heart. We see his passion in Psalm 42:1, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God.” Where did the phrase, “a man after God’s own heart,” originate? As we begin a look into what it takes to be people “after God’s own heart,” we turn to 1 Samuel 13:14,

¹⁴ But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Let’s review the story. King Saul had been recently crowned king of Israel. His son, Jonathan, had attacked a Philistine outpost and stirred up the Philistines. they assembled to fight Israel with a much larger army and lots of chariots. The new Israel army was falling apart in fright; many were abandoning the army and were “hiding in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns” (1 Samuel 13:6). Saul waited for the prophet Samuel to come, but got antsy and offered up the burnt offering himself, which was a big no-no. When Samuel arrived, he rebuked Saul telling him that he had acted foolishly and that his kingdom would not endure.

David was a shepherd. It was out on the hillsides that he learned to commune with God. Because of his strong relationship with the Lord, David was brave and took on a lion, a bear, and eventually, Goliath. In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel was following the Lord’s guidance and came upon the house of Jesse; God turned down all six sons that were present in the house. We pick up the story there,

⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him [as king]. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

In case there was any doubt about the accuracy of the story, Paul recounts it in his sermon at Antioch of Pisidia in Acts 13:22,“But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.'”

How about us? Are we willing to do everything that God wants us to do? Are we that devoted to Him? When we think of all the things He has done for us, we know that we can trust Him with our lives. David’s life didn’t always reflect his heart; he made some costly decisions along the way. We probably will, too. But, that doesn’t stop God’s love for us. He will walk through the consequences with us and, somehow, bring good out of them.*

Abba, help us to desire to be a people after Your own heart. May it be said of us, “They will do everything God wants them to.” You know our hearts–and, yet, You love us still! Thank You for loving us!!! Amen.

*David and Bathsheba had two sons. They named the first one Solomon and then Nathan. In their lineages was Jesus! 1 Chronicles 3:5, Matthew 1:6, and Luke 3:31.