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E – Expect to succeed

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Mark 11:24

Sometimes being a parent is no fun.  Do we really have to come down hard on our children even in the little things?  Kid gets a 100 on a test but forgets their binder for a class and gets a “check mark” thus just “satisfactory” on conduct instead of “good.”  Does that mean no Xbox for a week?  Ah, the slippery slope of parenting, isn’t it grand?

Starting Middle School is tough.  Kids have got to learn to manage their own business.  Mommy and Daddy and their Elementary teacher can’t follow them around reminding them of everything.  The kids have to own it.  After explaining this several times, all I get are blank stares and fretful twitches.  The kids fear failing in the eyes of their teachers, peers, siblings, and parents.  However, if they concentrate on trying not to fail or fear it, they will fail.  The cliché is “self fulfilling prophesy.”

The Apostle Peter never personally wrote one of the four Gospels.  He had help and his name was John Mark.  We first hear of John Mark in Acts 12:12, “So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.”  He later had a falling out with Paul when he deserted him and Barnabas to go back to Jerusalem in Acts 13:13, “Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.”  Paul must have been really upset because he denied Barnabas’ request to bring Mark along on the next missionary journey.  But near the end of Paul’s life, John Mark seemed to regain Paul’s favor in 2 Timothy 4:11, “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.”  The Gospel of Mark was written by John Mark with Peter near the end of his life.  The desired audience of the book is gentiles specifically Romans. 

Our passage tonight takes place after the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem and the clearing of the temple.  Earlier, Jesus had cursed a fig tree the bared no fruit.  Let’s read Mark 11:12-14 and 11:20-24.

12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”

And His disciples heard it.

20 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

22 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

The withered, dried up fig tree is a vivid example of the judgment for unbelievers that is still to come.  At the time, the fig tree full of leaves with no fruit could be an example of Israel.  The tree should have fruit but it doesn’t.  However, the main theme of this passage is faith in God with prayer.  Jesus simply says if you believe your prayer will be answered, it will be answered.  This passage is very similar to Matthew 7:7-12.

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! 12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

So, if I pray to win the lottery tonight and I believe that God will provide me the winning lottery ticket, am I assured to win?  Do I claim it right now?  It depends.  It depends on God’s plan.  Look, when we pray, we need to be aligned with God’s will for our lives.  If we are, then it will happen.  Now, God will answer all prayers.  However, His answers may not be the one we want, but it will be the answer we need.  And sometimes, the answer involves being patient and wait on God’s timing.

God is also a “glass half full” God.  Believe in our passage is the Greek word, pisteuó, which is  have faith in, trust in, believe, affirm, have confidence, persuading oneself or being persuaded by the Lord.  “Receive” is lambanó - get, take, to lay hold by aggressively (actively) accepting what is available (offered). 

Now, let’s re-examine our passage.  Have faith in God!  Pray and have faith in, trust in, have confidence, being persuaded by the Lord that you will lay hold by aggressively accepting what you prayed for.  Therefore, prayfully “Expect to Succeed” in whatever you ask for in God’s will.

Challenge your children to expect to succeed in everything they do.  Don’t let them fear failure or try to avoid it.  If they do, they’ll be that football team that looses in the fourth quarter because they were playing not to lose.  Play to win people.  Expect to succeed for God!

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D – Do the job right the first time

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

2 Peter 2:20

People suck.  Did I just write that out loud?  Let me rephrase, people are challenging.  Whether someone is saying something behind your back or someone refuses to do their job or someone ignores you, people seem to always disappoint.  This can be very discouraging especially if that someone professes to be a Christian.  We expect the “people of the lie” (meaning Satan’s lie) to do us wrong, but a professing Christian.  Now, that hurts.  So, we should get back at them (revenge), right?  We need to take our toys and go home, right?  We should make a veiled post on Facebook slandering them, right?  We should go to their boss and complain, right?  Wait, if we do that, what have we just done?

There is a theme that repeats almost to ignausiam in my book.  The fictional teachers keep on telling the children, “If you put your trust and faith in men, you will always be disappointed.”  I’m not trying to convey that we are all corrupt.  I’m only saying that we should only put our trust and faith in Christ.  Men are fallible.  Whether we are professing Christians or not, we all fall.  Let me repeat, we all fall and we all will disappoint.

I’ve been going through the acrostic, A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E-S, along with the Biblical references for it.  Now, how does 2 Peter 2:20, “D – Do the job right the first time,” and my ranting above fit?  Let’s go through the WORD to find out.

2 Peter is a letter written by Simon Peter to the church.  As the shepherd of the church, Peter instructs the flock in this letter to promote development of Christian discipleship and faith, combat false teaching, and encourage watchfulness for the Lord’s return.  Our passage tonight speaks to false teachers and their destruction.  Let’s read from 2 Peter 2:17-22, NIV.

These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”

“These people” are the false teachers who are a spring without water.  This gives a sense of a weary traveler desperate and dry for a drink and finds nothing.  The traveler thirsts for the things of the Lord but these people give him boastful words and lusts of the flesh.  We all know that pleasure is fleeting and empty.  Let’s look at the Amplified Bible version of verse 19.

They promise them liberty, when they themselves are the slaves of depravity and defilement--for by whatever anyone is made inferior or worse or is overcome, to that [person or thing] he is enslaved.

Why is it that wealthy rock stars, TV stars, and movie stars seem to have miserable lives?  They have everything, fame, fortune, notoriety.  What could be wrong with them?  What about the professing Christian entertainment stars that get divorced, loose their kids, get depressed, etc.?  In that Hollywood world, they become slaves to its depravity and defilement, or from the Greek phthorá for destruction from internal corruption (deterioration, decay), rottenness, perishableness, corruption, decay, decomposition.  There is no true liberty or freedom in that.

Peter then writes that if these people have escaped this world’s pollution or corruption and then re-enter its snares (pattern of the old sinful life), these people are worse off than before they knew the way of righteousness.  In this passage, people have suggested that this shows that a genuinely saved person could loose their salvation.  However, Paul in Romans 8:28-30 clearly argues that no genuinely saved person can be lost.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

Therefore, these people were never genuinely saved at all.  They were masquerading perhaps for their own ego.  A person’s salvation is between that person and God.  It’s really not our place to speculate, we need to be concerned with ourselves and our walk with God.

At the end of verse 20, Peter states that “they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”  All the work that they have done is for naught.  It means nothing.  They have to start all over, because they never really believed in the beginning.  This is the parallel for the acrostic.  They should have believed when they first understood and not rushed into the Christian life without believing, be unprepared to understand by not believing, not giving Christ their attention, and leaving the task of believing undone.  Do it right the first time by surrendering to Jesus.

When I talked about the “Plank (Sty) in the Eye” and Matthew 7:1-5 at the start of this Blog series, Jesus instructs us to understand and deal with our own sin before we start pointing out others’ sins.  What is important is your walk with Christ not others.  There will be stumbling blocks in your way, but don’t let them stop you from the good fight of faith.  Persevere.  So even if people discourage you and you don’t want to do your best for them, not “doing it right the first time” is not good for anyone especially you and your walk with Christ.  So not only do it right the first time, do it with class, do it for Jesus.  Never let other people’s attitudes or behaviors distract you from a Christ filled life.  Do not fall into that trap!

Most importantly, if you are a masquerading Christian, do business with Jesus right now.  Admit that you are a sinner in need of a Savior; Believe in the work Christ did on the cross for you; and confess your sins and turn away from your old sinful ways by the help of Jesus.

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U – Use my talents everyday

‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.’

Matthew 25:29

Our text tonight comes from the Gospel of Matthew.  In Luke and Mark, the author is called by his other name Levi, but Matthew, whose name means “gift of the Lord,” is how most of us know him.  Matthew’s main purpose is to demonstrate, prove to the Jews that Jesus is their long awaited Messiah.   

The context of our passage tonight is commonly called the Parable of the Talents.  As an example of His Messianic lineage, Jesus would talk in parables.  Psalm 78:2 states “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old.” The Hebrew word for parable is mashal which means some sense of superiority in mental action, a pithy maxim, usually of metaphorical nature, a simile, an adage, or proverb.  The Greek word used in the New Testament is parabole which is a teaching aid cast alongside the truth being taught, by using an arresting or familiar analogy, (which is often fictitious or metaphorical, but not necessarily).

Why did Jesus teach in parables?  Jesus answers us in Matthew 13:10-11, “And the disciples came and said to Him, ‘Why do You speak to them in parables?’ He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.’” 1 Corinthians 2:14 further states “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Let’s read the entire parable. 

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

A talent is an ancient unit of mass, generally the mass of water in the volume of an amphora, (one foot cube). Depending on the nationality, the talent had different weights.  A Biblical Hebrew talent was approximately 75 pounds.  When used as money, a talent could be gold or silver.  The Greek word for talent in this passage is talanton which is a silver talent of about 75 lbs used as the basis of monetary exchange.  Today, silver is worth $43.91 per ounce which equates to $52,692 per talent.  If the talent was gold ($1851.60 per ounce), it would be worth $2,221,920 today.

The man gave talents “to each according to his own ability.”  The word “ability” is used over 120 times in the New Testament and is the Greek word dunamis.  The word means physical power, force, might, ability, efficacy, energy.  Consider it as the power to achieve by applying the Lord's inherent abilities which is needed to grow in sanctification and prepare for heaven (glorification).  This really gives us a sense of a valuable aptitude or skill given by God, similar to how we define “talent” in the English language.

Upon the man’s return, he rewards the servants who used their “talents” effectively making him more money.  He uses the phrase which several people would love for our Lord to say to them, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  However, he is extremely disappointed with the servant who didn’t even try.  This servant was thrown out where “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  As Christians, we must use the valuable aptitude or skill given to us by God in everything we do.  This is done for God’s glory not our own.  So, Use your “talents” everyday for God’s glory.  Even if you fail, if you are honest toward God and modeled his traits, you have succeeded and may win others for Christ even in your perceived “failure.”  Remember, you have to give all you got.

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T – Treat tasks as opportunities

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:15-16

In the secular world, we have been taught to word speak, or not say the truth but also not say a lie.  We don’t have a problem, we have an opportunity.  We don’t have issues, we have improvement challenges.  In some regard, it’s good to think this way.  Call it, living with your “glass half full.”  However, this wordsmithing wasn’t initially done to skirt an issue or problem.  It was meant to motivate people to a bigger goal. 

Albert Einstein once said, "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." In the middle of a trial, we may not see the possibilities.  We may not see what we may learn or accomplish, if we keep our minds closed.

Our passage tonight comes again from the book of Ephesians.  As we’ve discussed before, the Apostle Paul wrote to Ephesus to educate them on God’s eternal purpose and grace and the Body of Christ, the church.  Also included in the text is how a Christian should live as part of the Body of Christ.  Paul talks about walking in love, walking in light, and walking in wisdom. 

When Paul says “walk,” he is using the Greek word, peripateó, which is to conduct my life, to live.  Our verses tonight are taken from the section about walking (conducting my life) in wisdom.  Let’s read from the NIV and Amplified versions.

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.  NIV

Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people), Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Amplified Bible

Our buzz phrase tonight is to “Treat tasks as opportunities.”  In the NKJV, the word “opportunities” does not appear.  However, we see it both in the NIV and Amplified versions.  In the NKJV, it refers to “redeeming the time.”  The Greek here is exagorazó ton kairos or properly, take full advantage of, seizing a buying-opportunity, i.e. making the most of the present opportunity (recognizing its future gain) take full-advantage of time as opportunity.  So this verse has a dual meaning.  Make the most of every opportunity including taking full-advantage of your time.

Looking at both verses, we see that as Christians we are to live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise making the most of every opportunity including taking full-advantage of our time.  So in every big task and every little task, you are always doing it to fullness of your ability for Christ.  So even if you don’t view a task as meaningful, God does because you are a reflection of Him on earth.  Therefore, treat all tasks as opportunities to live for God.

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I – Isolate my negative thoughts

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

Ever have one of those days?  How about one of those weeks?  Have a month to end all months?  How about a year? 

“What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.”  Is a quote thrown around in movies or said off the cuff when someone is having a hard time, or an athlete needs to be pushed.  The actual quote was in German, so the translation can get funny.  If you search the web, the quote becomes, “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”  However, the quote comes from the German Atheist Philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche’s The Twilight of the Idols.  “Out of life's school of war: What does not destroy me, makes me stronger.”  - number 8 on his hit parade of “Maxims and Arrows.” 

Coming close to death doesn’t seem to make someone stronger but weaker.  A person understands their limitations more and the reality of their short walk on this earth.  Of the Christian life, people say that you are either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or going into a trial.  Trials and tribulations are a part of life that God uses as instruction but also directs us to rely more on Him. 

In 1^st Corinthians 10: 13, the Holy Spirit writes “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”  The Greek word here for “Temptation” is peirasmos which means trial, probation, testing, being tried, temptation, calamity, affliction.  So, God is faithful and provides a way of escape from these trials.

Let’s look at tonight’s text, as we’ve said before, Philippians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the people of Phillipi as an encouragement to them.  Before we look at the verse, let’s look at the context of the verse or the verses before it, starting with verse 10.

 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Paul writes that he can be content in any situation as long as he has Christ.  Paul has learned through trials that whether he is full from a good Baptist potluck or starving – he is content.  The Greek for “content” here is autarkés or self-sufficient, contented, satisfied, independent.  It can further be described as “content in the sense of being satisfied because living in God's fullness. This inward sufficiency is as valid in ‘low times’ (suffering) as in ‘high times’ (temporal prosperity).”  Let’s look at verse 13 from the Amplified Bible.

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].

The “I” part of our acrostic is not about speaking evil about someone.  It is about being content with our situation.  It is about being satisfied in good times and in bad times, because Christ is with you and will pick you up if you fall.  So, in that bad day, bad week, bad month, or bad year, “isolate your negative thoughts” and focus on Christ and what He has done for you and continues to do for you.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” for the wages (salary, reward) of sin is death, but the gift (of grace, an undeserved favor) “of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

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T – Treat others with respect

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

Worship, Observe, Reveal, Determine = WORD, an inductive Bible Study.

Worship:

Dear Lord, I bow down before you heavily burdened for my missteps but also for the lost.  I pray Lord that you continue to carry me through all the storms of my life that I will learn to become closer to You and rely on You.  Please help me to push aside all other thoughts as I study Ephesians tonight.  Help me glean what you have for me.  Dear heavenly Father, You are an awesome and faithful God.  I give You all the praise and glory.  Amen.

 Observe:

The book of Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul to the Christians at Ephesus, a city in Asia Minor or Turkey.  Ephesus had a harbor on the Cayster River which emptied into the Aegean Sea.  It was also at the intersection of major trade routes.  Ephesus claim to fame was a temple to the Roman Goddess of nature and the hunt, Diana.  Since the town was a commercial center, Paul was able to make Ephesus a center of evangelism for three years.  Paul wrote to Ephesus to educate them on God’s eternal purpose and grace and the Body of Christ, the church.  Paul intended the letter to be shared with other churches that surrounded Ephesus.

Leading up to our verse, Paul talks about how as Christians we must live as children of the Light, of Jesus – “that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind” but “that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”  Paul spends several verses listing how as a Christian we must act.  We should not lie, be angry, sin, let the sun go down on our wrath, steal, and speak evil of anyone.

Reveal:

Let’s examine some key words in our text.  “Kind” in this verse is the Greek word chréstos which means useful, gentle, pleasant, kind.  Eusplagchnos is Greek for “tenderhearted” which means merciful, compassionate.   Looking at the root words, Eusplagchnos gives a sense of exercising positive gut-level sympathy, empathic compassion.  “Forgive” is used twice in this verse and is the same Greek Word charizomai - willingly ("graciously") bestow forgiveness or pardon.  This is freely done and therefore isn’t based on any merit by the forgiven one.

Paul sums up his point with this verse.  And be useful, gentle, pleasant, kind to one another, exercising positive gut-level sympathy, freely, without merit forgiving one another, even as God in Christ freely, without merit forgave you.  God instructs us to treat each other like He has treated us, freely forgive them of any wrong doing.

Determine:

Respect is defined as “to hold in esteem or honor.”  You have “esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability.”  As Christians, we esteem highly Christ for what he has done for us.  

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

John 3:16-17

This respect we have for Christ, or the forgiveness He freely gives, shows us that we must have respect, or forgiveness for one another.  Therefore, treat others just as Christ treats the believer, with compassion, kindness, forgiveness, and respect.

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T – Take pride in a job well done

Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,

Philippians 1:27

Philippians is a letter written by the Apostle Paul to the people of Phillipi as an encouragement to them.  Again, this letter was written while Paul was in prison.  Most believe it was during his house arrest in Rome.  Phillipi was named after Alexander the Great’s father, King Phillip II of Macedona.  The city prided itself for being a Roman colony and having Roman Citizenship.  Most citizens of Phillipi were retired military.

The acrostic for this “T” is “Taking pride in a job well done.”  Pride is usually a sin because we become boastful and believe we accomplished everything on our own.  This catch phrase and this Bible verse don’t seem to match, but let’s look closer.

Pride is defined as “a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.”  Pride appears to be very self serving. 

What does the Bible say about pride?  In the NIV version of the Bible, pride is used in eight (8) passages of the Scripture in the Old Testament whereas it is used five (5) times in the New Testament.  Let’s see those passages in the NKJV of the Bible.

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way.  And the perverse mouth I hate.

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 13:10 By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 29:23 A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

Isaiah 25:11 And He will spread out His hands in their midst  As a swimmer reaches out to swim, And He will bring down their pride Together with the trickery of their hands.

Daniel 4:37 And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Amos 8:7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:  “ Surely I will never forget any of their works.”

2 Corinthians 5:12 For we do not commend ourselves again to you, but give you opportunity to boast on our behalf, that you may have an answer for those who boast in appearance and not in heart.

2 Corinthians 7:4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my boasting on your behalf. I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.

2 Corinthians 8:24 Therefore show to them, and[a] before the churches, the proof of your love and of our boasting on your behalf.

Galatians 6:4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

James 1:9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation

Reading through the Old Testament verses, pride definitely has a bad connotation.  Pride is evil, arrogant, shameful, causes strife, precedes destruction, and will bring you low.  But at Amos, pride shifted as never to forget your works.  Throughout the New Testament, while the NIV uses pride, the NKJV uses boasting which is to “talk with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.”  As if in the New Testament, pride is boasting of the good work of the Gospel. 

Hebrew Words for “pride” used in Old Testament

Ge'ah – pride

Zadown - pride, insolence, presumptuousness, arrogance

Ga'own - exaltation, majesty, pride, majesty, exaltation, excellence

Ga`avah - pride, majesty, a rising up

Greek Words for “pride” used in the New Testament

Kauchēmatos - boasting, focusing on the results of exulting/boasting.  This boasting (exulting) is always positive when it is in the Lord, and always negative when based on self

Kauchesis - boasting, which can either be in the "achievements" of self (negatively) or about God's grace (positively)

Pride is always positive when talking about God’s grace or God’s works.  Pride is negative when you boast about yourself.  With all this in mind, let’s compare the acrostic and Philippians 1:27 and see if they match.  “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.”  This stresses the need for us to model our lives after Christ so that the Gospel can be spread.  As for taking pride in your work, in as much as it spreads the Gospel.  So, take pride in a job well done that is for Christ, if your conduct is not of Christ – do not take pride in what you have accomplished.  Let’s take a look at Galatians 6:4.  Actually, let’s look at Galatians 6: 1-4 in the NIV.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.  If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,

I believe in Galatians we find the matching passage for “Taking Pride in a job well done.”  Clearly, we are instructed to test our own actions against what God would have us do.  If we are in God’s will, we can take pride in our work. 

A-t-t-i-t-u-d-e-s

A – Always make today my best day 

This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

We may have used this verse out of context in the “A” of our acrostic, but let’s step through the W.O.R.D.

Dear Heavenly Father thank you for everything you have given us.  Even in these times of trouble, You are faithful.  Please help me understand this text and help me find application in my life and for others.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Psalm 118 is considered a hymn of thanksgiving for saving us from our enemies.  Depending on when you think the Psalm was written would determine who the earthly author was.  Many believe that King David was the writer.  In this view, the entire Psalm could be viewed as a victory over a hard fought battle.  Others would say it was written for the Feast of Tabernacles for deliverance from Egypt and victory over the Canaanites.  Others would say it was written for their return from Babylon.  However, all would agree that the Psalm foreshadows Jesus.

The Psalm starts off with a call to Praise God, with the congregation replying “His Love Endures Forever.”  The call is then followed by a king’s (leader’s) song of deliverance from their enemies.  The Psalm ends in the people exalting the Lord.  In this last section lies our verse. 

Let’s examine the Hebrew words for deeper meaning.  Zeh is the Hebrew for “this” or behold.  When you see the word “LORD” capitalized in Scripture it refers to the Hebrew YHWH or Yahweh or Jehovah, the great I AM, our God.  “Made” in the Hebrew is asah or which means accomplished.  Giyl is trembling with fear rejoicing while Samach is glad rejoicing.  Broadening the phrase - Behold the day Yahweh accomplished!  Rejoice with trembling fear and gladly rejoice.  God’s victory in all things has already happened.  So no matter how you feel, rejoice!  God will provide victory in His way.

Adam Clark’s commentary relates the verse as “As the Lord hath called me to triumph, this is the day which he hath appointed for that purpose. This is a gracious opportunity; I will improve it to his glory.” 

Truly, everyday is precious.  Time is a commodity that we can never get back.  Jesus taught us in a Parable in Luke 12,

The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, “What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?” 18 So he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.’” 20 But God said to him, “Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

We might not be here tomorrow.  God has given us a limited time in these fleshly bodies to impact the world for His Gospel.  So, no matter what storm you are in.  No matter how bad the situation seems.  “Always make today your best day.”  At this very moment, The LORD has provided the way, the victory.  Seize it.

Plank (Sty) in the Eye

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Matthew 7:1-5

Ever have a sty?  I have at least one or two each year.  They are usually harmless but are extremely annoying.  A sty is an inflamed oil gland where the lash meets the lid.  As the sty grows the eyelid becomes swollen and red and is great for causing headaches.  You look like you got in a fight and lost.  A sty can interfere with your vision.  I got one last night.  So, I have a headache and can only half see.  I’ve been applying washcloths soaked with hot water off and on all day. 

Why am I blogging (whining) about my pitiful sty?  Well, while I’m applying the washcloth every chance I get, a verse popped into my head.  You know, the one about stop complaining about a speck in your brother’s eye and worry about the plank in your eye.  Well, brothers and sisters – I definitely have a plank – it’s called a “sty!”

This passage of Scripture is when Jesus was giving the famous “Sermon on the Mount.”  On a mountain (tradition says an extinct volcano named Karne Hittim) near Capernaum, Jesus taught on several crucial topics.   

I want to focus on the third verse, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?”  Speck in the original Greek is karphos (from karpo or to wither) or “a dry stalk or twig, a straw chaff.”  Compare that to the Greek word for plank, dokos or a beam.  Dokos comes from dechomai which gives the sense of holding up something.  “Look” in this text is the Greek word blepo which is to discern or perceive by senses.  Understanding the Greek, why do we discern or perceive by senses (such as sight) the withering twig in our brothers’ eye, but don’t perceive what is holding us up in our own eyes?  How can we see clearly our brothers’ sins when we can’t even see our own?

A sty might be God’s gentle nudge.  While people may do you wrong, you may have as well but don’t perceive or understand it.  We are all sinners.  Jesus instructs us to understand and deal with our own sin before we start pointing out others’ sins.  That includes talking about people’s short comings behind their back (gossip).  Jesus stresses that we must have the right attitude if we wish to point out sin.

In preparing for a training session on culture change, I ran across an acrostic for attitudes.  I like it so well that I carry it around with me at work.  I also have it posted on my wall.  I have to admit.  I fail miserably usually, but I must always pick myself up.  Hey, there’s a reason it seems that “S” is a duplicate of “I.”

A – Always make today my best day Psalm 118:24

T – Take pride in a job well done Philippians 1:27

T – Treat others with respect Ephesians 4:32

I – Isolate my negative thoughts Philippians 4:13

T – Treat tasks as opportunities Ephesians 5:15-16

U – Use my talents everyday Matthew 25:29

D – Do the job right the first time 2 Peter 2:20

E – Expect to succeed Mark 11:24

S – Speak well of others everyday Ephesians 4:29

I’ll try to blog about each related Bible passage in the future.  Keep up the good fight!



Note: This acrostic has been used by many organizations and leaders.  If you search the web, Florida Basketball Coach Billy Donovan calls this an "Attitude Plan."  From what I can tell, no one has the copyright on this acrostic.  It is not my intention to plagiarize, I will be just conducting a Bible study on each verse used.

Everyday

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Colossians 3:17

The New Testament book of Colossians was written by the Apostle Paul to the church in Colossae.  Although a mere market town in Asia Minor on the road from Ephesus to the Euphrates River, Colossae was important as it was one of the churches started by missionaries from Ephesus.  From his first imprisonment in Rome, Paul wrote to refute the heresies being taught at the church.  The main theme of the book is that the belief in Jesus Christ is enough.

In Chapter 3 of Colossians, Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit describes how we should live in the world as Christians, believers in Christ.  Paul clearly outlines what should direct our lives in Colossians 3:2, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”  We must focus on Christ and remove our secular nature such as fornication (sexual immorality), uncleanness, passion (lust), evil desire, covetousness (greed), anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy (slander), filthy language, and lying.  How would any one know that we are slaves to Christ if we continue to do those things? 

So as the new self, Paul writes how we can model our behavior and not be a stumbling block to unbelievers.   Through the Spirit, Paul writes “put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering,” forgive one another, and “above all these things put on love.”  Jesus stated it perfectly as He summed up the Ten Commandments in Matthew 22:37-40. 

Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹ And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

To help the people of Colossae, Paul tags a “vision statement” or a way to keep you on that narrow path.  In verse 17, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  Think of it this way; never keep your eyes off the main thing.  And what is the main thing?  The main thing is Jesus. 

When you are about to do something, say something, or be somewhere, ask yourself some questions.  Will God be glorified?  Would the secular world see Christ?  Would I be a stumbling block to a new believer?

 
As you can see by the date of this post, I haven’t written in awhile.  I’ve struggled on how to maintain a BLOG, having never done one before.  My last post, I talked about “burdens” and how I was burdened to use imaginative fiction to reach the lost, specifically lost children.  I’ve been unsuccessful finding a publisher for the finished book, “Riddle of Cornerstone.”  But I think that was on purpose.  God teaches us everyday and in every little thing.  Even if these writings don’t make it to the masses, I’ve learned from them and I’ve drawn closer to Jesus.  So, in always keeping the main thing the main thing, I might find disappointment, but I must always remember it’s for God’s Glory not my own.  Whatever I do in word or deed, I do for Jesus, giving thanks to God and giving Him all the glory.