Galatians 3:3

You are so witless; you began with the Spirit, and now you’re ending with the flesh?

This so easily happens to most every Christian, and Christian organization, at some point. We have a conversion experience, and give our lives to Christ. At first, we are completely animated by the Holy Spirit, following that voice and lead, surrendered to all those nudges, able to hear the prompts because our faith is strong and our hearts are tuned in, able to hear the still small voice.

But over time…

We inevitably move away from that initial intimacy and go back to the flesh—to strategies, books, conferences—the same way the world performs its tasks. Now, for sure, the Spirit sometimes gives us strategies, prompts us to read a certain book, and leads us to conferences. But the difference is just that: it is Spirit-led, Spirit-prompted. As we inch away, the Spiritual life becomes me-led, people-prompted, popular idea-guided.

For the apostle Paul, the mark of a true Christian is having the Holy Spirit and living in the Spirit. Nothing is more sure of a sign than that. Therefore, it is imperative that we everyday seek the Spirit, to hear her and be led by her. (I often use the feminine for Spirit since “Spirit” in early Hebrew was feminine)

To be Spirit-attuned and led looks like, for me personally, asking the Spirit for direction in a myriad of circumstances. For these writings, for one example, I’ll read the chapter, listening carefully for what the Spirit “highlights” for me, and certain words jump out at me. Then I focus in on that particular part, praying for the Spirit to reveal what I need to learn/what needs to be written.

And I literally sit and listen.

Sometimes 5 minutes. Sometimes 40.

I am still blown away by how much I hear from God when I simply sit and listen.

Total surrender of your entire person, open listening, then obeying the voice is to be Spirit-Led.

Possession by the Spirit and life under his constant personal guidance constitute the highest conceivable spiritual state.

~The Interpreter’s Bible

Galatians 2:10

The only extra thing they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor—the very thing I was eager to do.

One Christian calling that we see clearly, undeniably throughout Scripture is that of helping the poor.

This is one of those aspects of our faith, like forgiveness, that is non-negotiable. It is a very part Christianity. Helping and being with the poor is inseparable from being a Christian.

It is easy to forget while going from thing to thing everyday, but we mustn’t forget about those who are poor, suffering, alone. The world elevates the opposite. Christ elevates…well, read the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.

Do you remember the poor?

Do you help the poor in some way?

Do you ever spend time with the poor?

This will help keep your perspective on life healthy.

Galatians 1:10

Well now…does that  sound as though I’m trying to make up to people—or to God? Or that I’m trying to curry favor with people? If I were still pleasing people, I wouldn’t be a slave to the Messiah.

Living to please people is an impossible and life-sucking task, not to mention one we’re not called to.

Living to please God is not only liberating and life-giving, but may even influence a few others along the way to live for God alone.

Our call concerning people is to serve, not please.

For [Paul], to accept the mantle of being a servant of Christ was to eliminate once-and-for-all the desire to please people. His authority was now different.

~Scot McKnight

2 Corinthians 13:11

As for the rest, brothers, rejoice, be restored, be encouraged, be of the same mind, be at peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

It seems here and elsewhere in the NT that God’s tangibly being with us is conditional upon our choices, on how we choose to live and think.

As we always clearly put forth, God’s love is unconditional. But God’s manifest presence? Well, it seems to be made dependent on a few things.

In this particular verse, Paul says to:

• rejoice
• be restored, or to grow and mature as humans in faith
• be encouraged, and probably means also to encourage others
• be of the same mind, be unified in our faith and belief in God, or think in the same way
• be at peace, live in the shalom of God, trusting in God’s goodness and power

And, as some translations have it, then the God of love and peace will be with you.

I guess it only makes spiritual sense that the God of love and peace will not experientially be with you while living in hate, disunity, lack of celebration, immaturity, discouragement to self and others, conflict, or disharmony.

2 Corinthians 12:9

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” ~NLT

There is a way things work best.

One way I’ve experienced this truth is in the practice of Sabbath.

I’ve allowed my habit of Sabbathing every week slowly slip away, and have paid a price for it. This summer I’ve found myself socially, relationally, and emotionally drained. I am out of gas.

Before this year, I was very disciplined to take a 24 hour period every week to totally disengage and unplug. Come Monday, I would feel ready to take on the world again. It was that effective.

Talking with a friend the other day about this, I felt God saying something like, “Look, I designed your body to require a full day’s break out of every seven. It’s just how I made you to function properly and optimally.  That is how it works.” Then my buddy and I joked about God saying, “You can try to go against this design…Let me know how that works out for you!” And we had a good laugh.

He then shared how an early mentor of his strongly encouraged him, “Every six weeks, take Friday through Sunday completely off. I mean truly off. Unplugged.” Good advice.

So I am convicted to return to this necessary practice which, for me, includes not looking at any screens or checking any messages for a 24 hour slot each week in order to recuperate, refuel, and not lose relational capacity as I have this summer.

Another friend last week shared a description I really found helpful–that of the elite athlete who needs about 6 months of the year off from performing at such a high level. Nobody can go that intense for extended periods.

It is in these times of rest, which some may even see as weakness, where we are strengthened , receiving power from on high.

“My power works best in weakness.”

2 Corinthians 11:14-15

The satan himself transforms himself to look like an angel of light, so it isn’t surprising if his servants transform themselves to look like servants of righteousness.

They will end up where their deeds are taking them.

We know from Scripture that the devil knows Scripture. The satan can actually “preach” too. But the big difference is that it will not include the message of the cross and Jesus as the Son of God.

There are many today who are serving the evil one, some consciously, but I believe many unconsciously. If you listen a little closely, you will not hear the gospel of the cross which is the crux of our belief (pun intended).

In this letter, Paul has warned against a couple of dangers. One is false apostles preaching a different gospel, a gospel which does not include or emphasize the cross and the work done there and our absolute need for it. So listen carefully to preaching in order to notice if they preach the same gospel that has come from the beginning. One aspect to listen for is that of need. We are desperately in need of God, but many will strokingly and subtly  tell you in delectable language the you’re all good on your own.

The other thing Paul said to watch out for are “peddlers” of the gospel. Since the beginning there have been those doing it for the money. Beware of these people. They speak some truth, of course. Few people listen to someone speaking all lies for very long at all. But if a preacher/minister is taking home tons of money, be very wary of him or her. This does not align with the New Testament.

CRUX: The decisive or most important point at issue. From Latin, literally ‘cross’.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

Yes, we are mere humans, but we don’t fight the war in a merely human way. The weapons we use for the fight, you see, are not merely human; they carry a power from God that can tear down fortresses! We tear down clever arguments, and every proud notion that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. We take every thought prisoner and make it obey the Messiah.  ~NTE

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.  ~NLT

I was greatly moved by this commentary last night, and would like to share it with you:

[Paul} says that he is equipped to deal with and to destroy all the plausible cleverness of human wisdom and human pride. There is a simplicity which is a weightier argument than the most elaborate human cleverness. Once there was a house party at which Huxley the great Victorian agnostic was present. On the Sunday morning it was planned to go to church. Huxley said to a member of the party, “Suppose you don’t go to church; suppose you stay at home and tell me why you believe in Jesus and in Christianity.” The man said, “But you, with your cleverness, could demolish anything I might say.” Huxley said, “I don’t want you to argue. I want you just to tell me what this means to you.” So the man, in the simplest terms, told from his heart what Christ means to him. When he was finished there were tears in the great agnostic’s eyes. “I would give my right hand,” he said, “if I could only believe that.” It was not argument, it was the utter simplicity of heartfelt sincerity which got home. In the last analysis it is not subtle cleverness which is effective but simple sincerity, against which cleverness has no defense.

There will always be someone who can out-argue you. But your subjective experience of what Christ has come to mean to you is axiomatic.

2 Corinthians 9:2

Your enthusiasm has stimulated most of them into action.

Sometimes your enthusiasm for what you do will motivate someone into action to do that too.

Seeing Zakk Wylde play guitar with such passion in 1989 inspired me to take guitar lessons soon after…

Hopefully our enthusiasm for Christ stimulates others to follow Him as well.

2 Corinthians 8:12

If the eagerness is there, you see, the deed is acceptable, according to what you have, not according to what you don’t have.

Couple things here—Eagerness to do good is great, but if it is not acted upon, it remains only an impulse. If you get the urge to call someone to encourage them (likely from the Holy Spirit), but do not do it, it remains an impulse and the person receives no tangible invigoration from you.

So first off, follow up impulses eagerly with the deed which they call you to. This you will not regret, and you’ll probably make someone’s day.

Second, be fine with doing what you can do, and do not feel guilt over any inability to do what others may be able to do.

We are not called to give what we don’t have. And focusing upon this will serve only to paralyze you from doing what you can and should do in and for the world.

The flip side is also true. Over the weekend, the Spirit whispered to me, “It is not necessary to live according to others’ limitations.” Sometimes I feel some sort of illogical guilt over being able to do things other people cannot do, and then it holds me back unnecessarily. Some people have severe physical limitations. Does that mean I shouldn’t exercise in order to take care of my body?

We do not need to feel bad that we have abilities that others do not possess. We are all uniquely blessed so that we can all uniquely bless each other. If we all had the exact same talents and abilities, it would get boring real quick.

We say we want everything to be fair and equal, but do we really? It appears God has chosen to distribute according to His divine wisdom and in a way that motivates us to all work together and fill in each others’ gaps.

2 Corinthians 7:10

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.  ~NLT

How do you know if you are truly sorry over something?

If your sorrow is godly, or worldly?

One simple test might be to examine the object(s) of your focus.

Godly sorrow will be focused upon…God! Upon wronging God first and foremost. It will also give attention to the person you have wronged. And, godly sorrow involves a hatred of the sin for which you are sorry.

But worldly sorrow…is focused upon self. It is merely resentment at punishment, resentment for not getting away with something, for getting caught. Worldly sorrow is upset over embarrassment and the predicament you find yourself in due to the wrongful act way more (if at all) than over the act itself.

Big difference.

In world sorrow, we may even torment ourselves over something, but again, that means we are focused first on—self. That’s why it’s called SELF-loathing, because you must pay most attention to YOU. That is not true sorrow, not godly sorrow.

Godly sorrow sees mostly who is wronged, and senses so strongly the wretchedness of the sin, that repentance is produced leading to reconciliation.

I really like how The Interpreter’s Bible puts it:

In true repentance the change of outlook and of spirit is followed by a surrender to the way of righteousness, and to that trust in the grace and forgiveness of God which takes the place of self-loathing and self-despair.

And from my man, William Barclay:

A true repentance, a godly sorrow, is  repentance and a sorrow which has come to see the wrongness of the thing it did. It is not just the consequences of the thing which it regrets; it hates the thing itself.

The real question is whether you hate your sin because you see it as opposition to God’s will of love, or because you dislike the pain it produces. If your grief is of the latter kind it will merely deepen your blindness to the real condition and deaden your conscience.

Do you want to escape pain, or resolve to be a different kind of person?