3 Elements of Maturity in Christ

“‘The first man, Adam, became a living person.’ But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit ... Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.” 1 Corinthians 15:45-49

Believers are in process of becoming like Christ, moving from earthly to heavenly people. And we achieve that goal by:

1. Knowing God's Word.

God’s Word is perfect, sure, right, pure, true, desirable, and sweet, making us wise, enlightening us, and warning us (Psalm 19:7-11). It is a key element in our growth in Christ.

2. Standing firm in our faith.

 

Growing in Christ means standing firm even when we face difficulty and persecution.

 

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 

3. Continually seeking to know Christ better.

 

As Paul explained, “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

If we ignore these elements of our faith, we'll grow slowly. Let's never do that! Let's seek to draw closer to Christ every day, counting everything that gets in our way as garbage! 

What might you do this week that improves your relationship with the Lord?

Need some help in transformation? These might help:
4 Obstacles to Discipleship
Let's Get to Work

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Honest Scales & Bruised Berries

Today I'm sharing a devotion from my book Wisdom for Life: 

About fifteen years ago, I bought strawberries at a fruit market in a foreign country. I looked for the stand with the most beautiful berries and asked for a kilo. 

 

When I got home, I discovered the berries were moldy and mashed, not the beautiful ones I’d seen on display. Some of the locals explained that I needed to beware of dishonest vendors who scoop from a barrel below the counter. I’m sure this vendor thought his dishonesty was no big deal, but the Lord disagrees. Proverbs tells us that we are better off poor than dishonest: “Better a little with righteousness than great income with injustice” (Prov. 16:8).

Psalms echoes this truth: “The little that the righteous person has is better than the abundance of many wicked people” (Ps. 37:16). A merchant may think it’s insignificant to put a finger on the scales, but it’s not insignificant to God: “Differing weights are detestable to the Lord, and dishonest scales are unfair” (Prov. 20:23).

It’s obvious that mankind has always had a problem with cheating and defrauding. And God is concerned about honesty, whether it’s a kilo of berries or a million-dollar purchase.

Jesus made this point in Luke 16:10: “Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.”

Let’s carefully examine our hearts and repent of anything dishonest, no matter how small. 

For Further Thought

 

Proverbs 16:11 explains that we serve a God who is interested in all of the details: “Honest balances and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his concern.” What other passages in Scripture (besides those mentioned in this devotion) emphasize God’s interest in little things?

 

Check out 10 Reasons You'll Love Wisdom for Life. 

 

 

 

 

 

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Blessed Music, Heart and Soul – Part 4

These one-minute devotions offer insights into the way music blesses our hearts and souls. And don't be surprised by another devotion about a song highlighted in Blessed Music Brings Joy to All Ages — Part 2. It's a song worth two devotions!
 

When One Verse Leads to Another and Then Another...
Sometimes we read one verse and it naturally leads to another ... and then another, and it gives us a fuller view of God's truth.

The Story Behind the Popular Hymn "Count Your Blessings"
The story behind the "Count Your Blessings" hymn will lift your spirits. A man who refused more than $1. 

 

This Little Light of Mine 

This devotion uses Scripture to show the wisdom in this simple children's song.

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: Would you like a devotion like these sent to your email each weekday? It only takes one minute to read, but can give your day an extra "Bible boost." Your address is only used for subscription and blog stat purposes. The only ads you'll see are for Gail's books below the devotion. No pop-ups. Subscribe: HERE.

For more one minute devotions on music, see:

Blessed Music Never Grows Old — Part 1

Blessed Music Brings Joy to All Ages — Part 2 

Blessed Music is Healthy for Body and Soul — Part 3  

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Perspective Makes All the Difference in Hardship

“The next time Satan reminds you of what you’re missing, add death and hell to his list.”  ~ Ray Comfort

When we dwell on worldly things, we forget about the rewards and perfection of our eternity with Christ. We need an eternal perspective to deal biblically with life's challenges.

God gives us examples in Scripture, such as Moses who “chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:24-25).

And God mightily used Joseph because Joseph could look beyond his brothers' merciless hatred and trust God's purposes (Genesis 50:15-20).

Hebrews 11 gives us a list of people who weren't seeking comfort and pleasure on earth. They did what God commanded because they “were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

Luke 8:14 explains that some people hear the message of salvation, but “life’s worries, riches and pleasures” keep them from maturing. 

When we face difficulties, let's remember “the world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17).

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 For more insights, see Be Prepared: Acknowledging that Our Challenges Are Serious and Be Prepared: Persecution May Come from Family. 

Quote at the top from My Comfort is Jesus, Ray Comfort,  BroadStreet Publishing, 12-1-2020

 

 

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4 Things to Remember When Your Faith Is Under Fire

If your faith is under fire, here are four things to do: 

1. Trust God despite disturbing circumstances. 

Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” 

2. Realize God can and will use bad situations for your good.
 

Romans 8:28: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” 

3. Do your best no matter the circumstances.

Colossians 3:23: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” 

4. Forgive people who've offended you, and let God deal with them.

Genesis 50:19-20: “But Joseph said to [his brothers who had sold him into slavery], ‘Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.’”

Are you going through testing or trial? Apply these four principles to your circumstances and be blessed! 

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For more insights, see Hang in There and Did You Know God Collects Your Tears? 

 

Have you checked out the Wisdom for Life devotional? If you want to learn more about the background of the book, click the image. 

It has 100 one-minute devotions to start your day with instruction, encouragement, inspiration, and insights. Check out the current sales on Lifeway and Amazon. 

 

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Biblical Accuracy or Entertainment? Truth or Popularity?

Our values are evident in what offends us. Are we offended by things which misrepresent God’s precious, perfect Word or by people who point out biblical errors in things we like?

I’ve lost readers and a few friends by exposing errors in popular books, teachings, mini-series, movies, politics, and exercise programs. (Each of these words is linked to a pertinent example.)

 

To be honest, I'm sad how passionately some Christians defend things which misrepresent God's Word. 

 

What's your passion? What offends you? Is it better to share a distorted gospel that's popular with millions or an accurate gospel that's far less popular? 

Is biblical accuracy unimportant if something comforts, entertains, and inspires us? 

Very often when something “Christian” is wildly popular, it's because it presents a softer Jesus and a softer gospel. It takes us on the broad highway, not the narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14). 

We must understand that we're meant to be “picky.” Propaganda always starts with small errors mixed with truth (i.e., Lies in Disguise).

 

In Galatians 1:6-10, Paul affirms the importance of an accurate gospel:

“Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” 

Then he repeats that statement to emphasize the importance, and he explains that we can't be a servant of Christ if we're seeking human approval.

So let me ask again: 

What offends you—things which distort or deny God’s Word or people who point out scriptural errors in something you enjoy?

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There are many “tests” of our loyalty to biblical truth, but let me highlight one that is fiercely defended by millions of Christians: The Chosen. It's sad to see so many fall under its spell ignoring or justifying the errors it contains, praising and promoting it, letting it shape their view of God, and defending it when it directly contradicts God's Word.

 

When we fully trust God's Word, we don't consider it a small thing when a mini-series unnecessarily creates a new “I Am” statement for Christ that identifies Him as the law of Moses when Scripture says, “So the law was our guardian until Christ came” (Galatians 3:23-24) and “when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses” (Galatians 5:18).

 

When we know the perfection of Christ as the Living Word (John 1:14), we don't consider it a small thing when He is portrayed as needing human help in writing the Beatitudes. 

 

There is no reason that a mini-series about Christ can't be interesting and accurate at the same time.  

 

Do we believe that God thinks it's more important to make the gospel popular than to make it accurate? 

 

See Are You Willing to Address Scriptural Contradictions in The Chosen?  

 

Would you attend a church where the pastor believed that practicing Mormons are his brothers in Christ? Please don't trust such a person to accurately portray the Jesus of the Gospels, who is nothing like the Jesus of Mormonism. See Dallas Jenkins Explains the Story Behind The Chosen.

If you are hooked on The Chosen, I encourage you to listen to this excellent video from a Christian teacher who very graciously explains how he welcomed and appreciated The Chosen, overlooking the errors, until God began opening his eyes to the spirit behind it: Let's Talk About The Chosen.  

Do I have a beef with The Chosen? No, I have a heart for God's people. It makes me sad to see how easily many Christians can be persuaded to accept things that contradict God's Word. We must be prepared to discern error, and we must care deeply when our Lord is misrepresented. Otherwise, we will walk blindly into deception.

 

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The Sweetest Gifts — Sacrifice versus Wealth

In 1995, I celebrated my birthday in Bulgaria while on a two-month mission trip, sharing Christ with those who had been trapped in atheistic communism for 45 years (1944-1989). 

Bulgaria was only beginning to recover from the effects of Communism, one of which was a ruined economy where the people had only the most basic necessities.

Because of this, I was surprised when one of the local Christians came to my birthday dinner and surprised me with a gift. When I unwrapped the small package, it contained a bar of soap—nothing special, just regular soap.

But that soap was one of the sweetest gifts I've ever received. Like the widow in Mark 12:41-44, my foreign friend had given generously from his limited income. 

I kept that soap for several years as a reminder of true generosity.

Compared to most of the world, we Americans are rich. What many people consider luxuries, we consider necessities. Yet most of us take our blessings for granted and complain that we don't have more.

Let's ask God to give us grateful, generous hearts and a true understanding of our blessings.

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For more encouragement, see the one-minute devotion: In God's Economy, Sometimes Less is More and When Prosperity Devours Our Blessings.

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Don't Take Submission Beyond Scripture

I’m a complementarian, meaning I believe in biblical submission of a wife to her husband (Ephesians 5:22; Colossians 3:18; 1 Peter 3:1) and male leadership in the church (1 Timothy 2:12-14).  

See Limits to Submission: Immoral or Illegal Requests.

Ephesians 5:22-28 explains a wife's submission to her husband and a husband's sacrificial love for his wife. These are commands specifically for marriage, not all relationships. 

Rules for male leadership are also specifically applied to prayer and worship in joint fellowship (i.e., church) (1 Timothy 2).

So beware of teachings (example below) that go beyond Scripture:

“A woman, whether she is married or single, must recognize the fact that in general, as a woman, she must have a spirit of submission to all men … whether in marriage, in business, in the church.… The woman must realize in any relationship that she has been given the place of submission.” (source: MacArthur)*

That statement isn't biblical, nor are the claims of pastors who say women should not be allowed to vote in government elections (e.g., Douglas Wilson).

Both men and women should submit to church leadership, employers, and government (Romans 13:1-7) wherever they choose to worship, work, and live. 

But claiming women should have “a spirit of submission to all men” would mean she must submit to her brothers, adult sons, neighbors, doctors, etc. Besides being unscriptural and impossible, this claim is unsafe.  

The Bereans carefully judged the teachings of Paul with Scripture, and they were called noble for doing so (Acts 17:11). Let's be noble in testing the teachings we hear, no matter who presents them.

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Would you like a more thorough study of this issue? See Biblical Submission Is Unique to Marriage. 

* Important Note: If we defend people no matter what they do or teach, we lose discernment. If a teacher offers 99% accurate Bible teaching, we should still be willing to identify and disagree with the 1% error. God's Word must have our first loyalty. I say this because I know I will get negative feedback by pointing out an error in the teaching of John MacArthur. The linked sermon contains some accurate Bible teaching, but the quote about women being in submission to all men in all areas of life is not biblical. And it's dangerous. Another quote in MacArthur's sermon also disturbs me.

To make the point that submission is not an inferior position, MacArthur talked about Christ being in submission to God the Father when He came to earth to die for our sins, which did not make Christ inferior to God the Father. I agree. That is completely scriptural. But again, MacArthur took it beyond Scripture and made a statement that's not accurate biblically.

“It is not – and mark it – it is not that Christ is inferior to God. In fact, He said, ‘I and the Father are’ – what? – ‘are one.’ There is no inferiority; there is simply a role that is taken. And I’ll tell you something else, think about this: in the truest sense, I, as a member of the Church, am not even inferior to Christ, who is the Head of the Church, because God the Father says I am a joint heir with Christ. And that Christ lives in me. And it is only that I have taken the place of submission, the role of submission. Someday, when I get to heaven, I will be like Him. So, you see, it isn’t talking about inferiority-superiority, it is simply talking about role.” 

We will never be equal to Jesus Christ. He is eternal and perfect, the only Savior and Lord of mankind.  

Perhaps MacArthur misspoke or later changed his mind about the serious errors he expressed in this sermon, but this sermon remains a featured sermon in his website.  

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Blessed Music is Healthy for Body and Soul — Part 3

These one-minute devotions share some wonderful truths about the way godly music can bless our body, soul, and spirit. 

 

Praise Music Therapy
When negative thoughts are swirling through our brains, this can completely turn things around.

 

4 Reasons God Gave Us Music 
An old man miraculously revives when he's allowed to listen to music. This one-minute devotion explains four of God's purposes in giving us music.

Making Music in Our Hearts is Healthy for Our Souls
This psalm offers a wonderful suggestion for keeping our hearts and our souls healthy!

FREE SUBSCRIPTION: Would you like a devotion like these sent to your email each weekday? It only takes one minute to read but can give your day an extra "Bible boost." Your address is only used for subscription and blog stats purposes. The only ads you'll see are for Gail's books below the devotion. No pop-ups. Subscribe: HERE.

Don't miss these other Music collections: 

Blessed Music Never Grows Old — Part 1

Blessed Music Brings Joy to All Ages -- Part 2 

Blessed Music, Heart and Soul – Part 4  

 

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6 Christian Rules of Speech from Proverbs and Ephesians

We learn grammar and rules of speech in school. But did you know that there are also biblical “rules of speech” that are about grace instead of grammar?

1. Respond gently to angry words.

Don't let another person's rudeness or anger shape your response. 
“A gentle answer deflects anger.” Proverbs 15:1

2. Share the truth lovingly.  
If you're resentful, proud, or disinterested, keep your mouth shut.
“The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing … [so] speak the truth in love.” Proverbs 15:2; Ephesians 4:15

3. Speak truthfully.

Don't pass along rumors or reshape the truth. 
“A deceitful tongue crushes the spirit … [so] Let us tell our neighbors the truth.” Proverbs 15:4; Ephesians 4:25

4. Share wisdom.

Let God's Word guide your thoughts and words. 
“The lips of the wise give good advice.” Proverbs 15:7

 
5. Wait for the right time and place to speak.

Be considerate of others, sharing things at appropriate times and places.
“Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!” Proverbs 15:23

 
6. Keep a clean mouth.

Let your words reflect your faith. 

“Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful … [no] obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes.”  Ephesians 4:29, 5:4

God's Word doesn't teach us grammar or punctuation, but it does give us rules of speech to make us gentle, honest, wise, and helpful. Are there any of these areas where you need to renew your speech?

 

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For more, see Speech Lessons: Learning God's Language and Do You Know Mom's Version of Ephesians 4:29? 

✓ Free Subscription to 1-Minute Bible Love Notes. Have a one-minute devotion like this one delivered to your email each weekday.

✓ 10 Reasons You'll Love the Book Wisdom for Life. A collection of 100 one-minute devotions from Psalms and Proverbs and a great gift for people who love God's Word.

✓ Full Description of the Book Lies in Disguise. A much-needed book to uncover half-truths that misuse Scripture and weaken Christian faith.

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