Flourish Even More in 2024… In Righteousness – Part 4

    As we conclude our month-long study of righteousness, I would like you to consider the treasures of truth pertaining to righteousness found within two chapters of Proverbs. I hope this lesson will motivate you in your pursuit of righteousness (2 Timothy 2:22) and encourage you to continue to flourish like a palm planted in the courts of God (Psalm 92:12-15).

“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1 John 3:7 NKJV)

Truths About The Righteous Found In Proverbs 10 & 11

WE SPEAK ONLY GOOD WORDS:

• “The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.” (10:11)
• “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, the heart of the wicked is worth little.” (10:20)
• “The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of wisdom.” (10:21)
• “The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but the perverse tongue will be cut out.” (10:31)
• “The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse.” (10:32)

    ~ Consider Ephesians 4:29-32, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, and Romans 12:9-21

WE SEEK ONLY GOOD FOR OTHERS:

• “The desire of the righteous is only good, but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.” (11:23)

    ~ Consider 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Galatians 6:1-3; 9-10, Matthew 5:43-48, and Romans 13:8-10

WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO SEEK & SERVE GOD:

• “Though they join forces, the wicked will not go unpunished; but the posterity of the righteous will be delivered.” (11:21)

    ~ Posterity means ‘future generations’. Consider Genesis 18:19, Deuteronomy 4:9, Joshua 4, Psalm 71:17-18, and 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14-17

WE TEACH OTHERS TO SEEK & SERVE GOD:

• “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.” (11:30)

    ~ Consider Matthew 28:18-20, John 6:68-69 (how can we keep it to ourselves when we know this?), and James 5:19-20.

GOD'S WORD HELPS US MAKE PROPER CHOICES:

• “The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall from his own wickedness.” (11:5)

    ~Consider Proverbs 3:5-6, and Hebrews 5:12-14

 GOD WILL NOURISH US:

• “The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, but He casts away the desire of the wicked.” (10:3)

    ~ Consider Matthew 5:6, John 6:35, and Isaiah 55:1-3

 GOD WILL BLESS US:

• “Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked.” (10:6)
• “The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not inhabit the earth.” (10:30)
• “If the righteous will be recompensed on the earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner.” (11:31)

    ~ Recompensed means “rewarded”. Consider Matthew 5:5, Psalm 37:11, and Hebrews 11:6

 GOD HEARS OUR PRAYERS:

• “The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted.” (10:24)

    ~ Consider James 1:5, Matthew 7:7-8, John 15:7-8, and James 5:16-18

GOD HELPS US IN OUR TROUBLES:

• “The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.” (11:6)
• “The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead.” (11:8)

    ~ Consider Haman’s actions and his demise in the book of Esther – see Esther 5:9-14 and 7:1-10, also Psalm 34

THE PROFITS OF PURSUING RIGHTEOUSNESS:

• “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage.” (11:28)

    ~ Consider Psalm 1:1-3, Jeremiah 17:7-8, 1 Timothy 6:5-10; 17-19, Matthew 6:19-21, and Ephesians 1:3-14

WE HAVE A CONFIDENT HOPE:

• “Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, but righteousness delivers from death.” (10:2)
• “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” (11:4)
• “The hope of the righteous will be gladness, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.” (10:28)
• “The labour of the righteous leads to life, the wages of the wicked to sin.” (10:16)
• “The wicked man does deceptive work, but he who sows righteousness will have a sure reward.” (11:18)
• “As righteousness leads to life, so he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death.” (11:19)

    ~ Consider Romans 8:12-17 and 1 Peter 1:3-9

WE WILL BE REMEMBERED FOR GOOD:

• “The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot.” (10:7)

    ~ Consider those noted in Hebrews 11, the woman in Mark 14:3-9, and Dorcas in Acts 9:36-42

It is worth every effort to flourish even more this year in righteousness and God will be with you every step of the way!!

You can do it! So can I!!

Flourish Even More in 2024… In Righteousness – Part 3

    One of the obstacles in pursuing righteousness is not having a good understanding of God’s will and so we are swayed by the pressures of the world. In Acts 5:29 the apostles lived out their bold statement of faith, “We ought to obey God rather than men” when they continuing sharing the good news of Jesus after they were threatened.

    We can unknowingly have our understanding of what is right conformed to the world’s way of thinking when we spend more time with social media than in God’s holy word.

“…do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2 NKJV)

    God wants us to look different from the world; obedience to His commands will cause us to look different because His way is different – it is better – in its consistent, never-changed/never-changing truth.

“…the word of God which lives and abides forever… The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever.” (1 Peter 1:23b, 25a NKJV)

    At every opportunity society will happily tell us WHAT to think, while God teaches us HOW to think. Society’s way is easy, while God’s way takes commitment, time, and effort (consider Matthew 7:13-14). Proper discernment of good and evil only comes from reading, understanding, and applying God’s word and will (Hebrews 5:12-14) and that does take time and daily determination.

    Sometimes though, it’s not society’s influence that slows or even halts our progress… sometimes we need to be told, “We ought to obey God rather than ourselves.”  We can be our biggest obstacle in pursuing righteousness because we feel we know enough and don’t desire to know more. Why? Because change is hard, it can be exhausting! God’s word demands change in us and when we feel that all we are doing is changing or we are the only one changing we just don’t want to keep doing it. We think we know the basics: go to church services, don’t be mean, don’t kill anyone, and we leave it there. We go through our days obeying our own sense of right without honing our discernment through continued learning, obedience, and change. 

    God commands us, through Paul, to flee youthful lusts (2 Timothy 2:22) – pride in our own self-limited knowledge/understanding and slothful servitude are part of the youthful lusts that we are to leave behind (1 Corinthians 13:11) and not return to as we pursue righteousness.

“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.” (Philippians 3:12-15 NKJV)

Are you determined to obey God rather than men? Rather than yourself?

Dig in, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33)!

You are not alone, we’re all in this together (1 Peter 5:9)! Change is hard, be patient (James 1:2-4) and trust God, the end result is worth your continued effort!

And no matter what the world tries to tell you, remember that God’s way is and always will be the best way!

“He who pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life, righteousness, and honour.” (Proverbs 21:21 NKJV)

Keep your daily determination to flourish even more in righteousness this year!

You can do it! So can I!!

Flourish Even More in 2024… in Righteousness – Part 2

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6 NKJV)

    This verse is a part of a familiar passage that we are often taught to memorize when we are children but now, as adults, our minds may tend to rattle past without much thought or concentration – we know the gist of it so we skim over and move on. In our desire to flourish even more this year in righteousness, let’s take the time to pause and consider it.

    The word “hunger” as it is used here, means ‘to pine, to famish, and to crave.' It also means ‘to toil for daily subsistence, to be starving.’ “Thirst” in this passage simply means ‘to thirst for.’   

    We may have at one time or another experienced hunger, even getting hangry (angry because you’re so hungry) because you haven’t eaten for several hours and anyone who has worked outdoors under the summer sun knows how parched the heat can make you feel.

    We understand this on some level in the physical realm, but what about in the spiritual realm? Do you crave righteousness? Do you awake famished for it? Do you work toward it, toil for it, as though your life depends on it? Do you thirst for more and more knowledge of God and His will, so you can obey it?

    God promises that those who crave, toil, and thirst for righteousness (living right before God, according to His will) will be filled.

    “Filled” means ‘to gorge (supply food in abundance), feed, fill, satisfy.’ WOW!!

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; And you who have no money, come, buy and eat… Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance, incline your ear, and come to Me, hear, and your souls shall live.” (Isaiah 55:1a, 2-3 NKJV)

    “…eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.” ABUNDANCE! Unlike our occasional tables of bounty, the abundance God offers to us is available all the time! Every hour of every day!! And the supply will never run dry – eat and drink to your fill, nourish your soul, and keep coming back again, and again, and AGAIN! “…eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.”

    God will fill you with righteousness when you hunger and thirst for it! Taste His word – try His way! Obey His commands and instructions – trust Him!! As you discover God's wisdom and the benefits that come from obeying His will (Psalm 68:19) your desire to learn and to do His will each day will increase and He will continue to satisfy you, He will continue to FILL YOU UP!! 

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man you trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV) 

You can do it! So can I!!

Flourish Even More in 2024… in Righteousness

    I would like to expand on last week’s post (based on Psalm 92:12-15) in which it said “the righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” A Lebanon cedar was truly a flourishing tree, reaching far up into the heavens as they grew to maturity – and we can be like that too as we reach forward to those things which are ahead and press toward the goal of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14)!

    This week I would like you to think on this verse:

“Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22 NKJV)

    God never asks us to remove something from our lives without giving us something good to replace it with (take note of Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3 “put off…” followed by “put on…”). In this verse, we are told to run from youthful lusts and instead run toward righteousness, faith, love, and peace. It is important that we understand what we are running toward in order to keep our determination focused on the goal.

Side note: The King James Version uses the word “follow” in 2 Timothy 2:22, but I like how the New King James Version uses the word “pursue”. “Follow” feels to me unintentional without thought, coincidental even (although it does not mean that), you are simply following someone down a hall, for example, but “pursue” is ripe with intention and purpose, you are pursuing someone down a hall, you fully determine to get to them.

    We are to PURSUE righteousness.

    Righteousness is ‘equity of character or act.’ ‘Equity of character’ is to possess all good qualities (of God, His attributes) in perfect balance.

    God is just while still possessing compassion and mercy. God is kind but His disposition toward sin will never be altered. God is love, but His love never undermines His Truth. For example: 2 Peter 3:9 “[God] is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish (His love for us), but that all should come to repentance” – His truth states that we will perish if we do not repent and submit to Him (see Romans 2:2-11). His love offers us hope, but we have a responsibility toward Him in order to have salvation.

    All that God is is in perfect balance! We should always be striving to be like Him in all things (1 Peter 1:13-16, 1 John 3:1-3, Ephesians 5:1), striving to conduct ourselves with that same balance.

    How important is it that we pursue righteousness?

    Consider Matthew 6:33

“…seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (NKJV)

    Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Above all else, seek Him and His righteousness; it’s THAT important!

    What are the things that will be added to you when you seek first God and His righteousness? See verse 31 – you will have life’s necessities: food, drink, and clothing. With these things you can be content (please read 1 Timothy 6:6-8) and you will not have to worry, God WILL provide. God blesses His children with what we need each day; that is why verse 34 states the command “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for today is its own trouble.”

    When we trust God to provide the necessities of life for us each day as we humbly seek and serve Him, we will soon learn that He also provides us with wisdom and strength to get through our day. When we take hold of those things, we will not worry about tomorrow because we will know that if God grants us a new day, with that new day He will also grant us renewed strength and ability (Psalm 103:1-5, Isaiah 40:28-31, Lamentations 3:22-26) to take into that day.

    A woman seeking FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness, will not worry about tomorrow. She will not borrow trouble from some future day - destroying the peace of her “today” – she will instead trust wholly in God, knowing He will be there in any tomorrow she may be granted. She will bless God and praise Him for the blessings He grants her today, her heart will overflow with thanksgiving and her mind will be guarded with peace (Philippians 4:6-7).

    God loves us! He is full of lovingkindness. He asks us to seek Him first. With each day we are given, let us do just that! Let’s determine to flourish even more in 2024! And at the end of each day, let our hearts praise Him for the strength, wisdom, and ability He gave us to get through the day – He is forever faithful! Let us be forever faithful in our pursuit of being like Him, in our pursuit of being found right in His sight, in our pursuit of righteousness!

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night.” (Psalm 92:1-2 NKJV)

You can do it! So can I!!

Flourish Even More in 2024

Happy New Year!!

    I hope that as you look back on the past year you find that you have grown in some areas and as we enter a new year together I encourage you to continue in your growth and Flourish Even More in 2024

    To prepare yourself for this daily resolute determination, consider this passage:

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the LORD is upright; He is my Rock, and there is now unrighteousness in Him.” (Psalm 92:12-15 NKJV)

“The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree…”

    If you would like to flourish like a palm this year you must be righteous. How can you be righteous? By putting off your former conduct and being renewed in the spirit of your mind so you can put on the new man created according to God in true righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:20-24) – following God’s way will provide all with you need to know to be right in His sight and holy in all your conduct (1 Peter 1:15-16) – but please note, that knowing what is right is not enough, you must put it into practice and do what is right (James 1:21-25)

    You must practice righteousness (1 John 3:7). To practice means to continually do, to keep trying, to build up your ability and consistency to do properly to the best of your ability. Through reading and study you will find out what is acceptable to Him (Ephesians 5:8-10) and when you ask for wisdom (James 1:5) you can, in wisdom, understand what the will of the Lord is (Ephesians 5:15-17), which should lead you to do His will.

    It is in the knowing and the doing that you will discover wonderful blessings (Psalm 34:8, Matthew 6:44, Ephesians 1:3-14) and realize that His guidelines (the freedoms and the prohibitions) are all for our good, and you will prove, to yourself and to others, that His will is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).

    Just as the extraordinary cedars of Lebanon, renowned for their longevity and characteristic strength, begin by anchoring themselves in the earth and then spend their lifespan actively growing toward the sun, if you begin by rooting yourself deeply in the truth and anchoring yourself in it, you will flourish; in your lifetime you will reach untold heights, become known for your stick-to-it-ive-ness, and strength of character as you actively grow closer to the Son!

“Those planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God”

    What is the house of the LORD? Consider Hebrews 3:6 where it states that Christs is over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. We could now consider this “house” as the church, which is Christ’s body – and God adds to it (or plants in it) those who are being saved (Acts 2:47).

Side note: Consider how one becomes part of the body of Christ by reading Romans 6:1-3, Galatians 3:27, and 1 Corinthians 12:13

    Once you are planted by God in His wondrous courts the root of the righteous cannot be moved (Proverbs 12:3, Psalm 62:5-7 – nothing and nobody can remove you unless you choose to uproot yourself, Romans 8:31-39). You can flourish in the courts of our God because He provides all we need to do exactly that (Hebrews 4:16, Ephesians 3:20, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)!

“They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing…”

    Throughout your lifetime, at every stage of life, you can bear the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) as you continue your daily practice of righteousness. Consider 2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” Whatever age you are at, there is SO much you can do!

Do not give up! Keep going! Keep growing!!

Be determined to flourish even more in 2024!!

You can do it! So can I!!

Walking as a Christian: Our Five Senses – Touch

    Our hands are probably the first body parts we think of when talking about our sense of touch; they are certainly an important part of that sense and we should consider them and be careful to use them and our ability to touch for good, as God intended.     

We Need to Hold Fast to What is Good

“Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” (Romans 12:9b NKJV)

    Throughout the Bible we find either direct instruction or mention (in psalm or prayer) of the need to ‘cling’ and ‘hold fast’ to the LORD, His word, and His ways. Turn to and read these Old Testament passages: Deuteronomy 4:1-6, 10:20-21, 30:20, and Psalm 119:30-32. In the New Testament we find these same terms used (please turn to and read these passages to see them in their entirety):

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 “…by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you…”
• Philippians 2:14-16 “…holding fast the word of life…”
• 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 “Hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
• 1 Timothy 6:12 “…lay hold on eternal life, to which you were called…”
• 1 Timothy 6:19 “…lay hold on eternal life”
• Hebrews 3:6 “…whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end”
• Hebrews 2:14 “For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning our confidence steadfast to the end.”
• Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering…”
• Revelation 3:11 “Behold I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

Hold fast (OT Hebrew #1692) ‘dabaq’ means to cling, to cleave, keep close, be loyal. In the NT this phrase comes from the Greek ‘katecho’ (G#2722) which means to bind, take possession of, lay hold on/of, keep secure.

    Clinging, laying hold on, and holding fast are active, ongoing determinations of effort. Having come to a place of spiritual understanding (Colossians 1:9-11, Psalm 119:97-106, Proverbs 9:10, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) and comprehending the value of God, His word, and His way, we bind ourselves to them and work to not only maintain our hold but strengthen it every day. We spiritually root ourselves deeper into the solid foundation of Truth (Matthew 7:24-27, John 14:6) because we have come to know that all we truly need is found only in God!

    Use your hands and your sense of touch to open God’s word, read it and let it touch your heart so that you cling to it with everything you’ve got (Matthew 22:37)!     

We Need to Use Our Hands for Good

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:10 NKJV)

    Our hands can be used for good or for evil. God, of course, wants us to learn to do good with our hands and continue to use them by doing good for others, to His glory (Matthew 5:16, Galatians 6:9-10, Ephesians 2:10, Titus 3:8). To this end, He, through the apostle, Paul, tells one who had once maintained a habit of using his hands for evil, in this case, stealing, to no longer steal, “but rather let him labour; working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need” (Ephesians 4:28).

    Use your hands and your sense of touch to be a blessing and a benefit to others!

Touch Other Lives With Goodness

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV)

    Has your life been touched by God’s goodness? Do you appreciate the hope you have in Him and His abundant daily blessings (Psalm 68:19)?  Share your hope (1 Peter 3:15) and your blessings with others! Reach out and touch others with God’s comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-4) and stretch out your hands in mercy (Luke 6:27-36); touch other’s hearts through your lovingkindness. In doing so you show God to those who may not know Him! If you can do anything for another, do good! Tell others of God through your actions - He is the reason for and source of your goodness (Psalm 16:2)!

    Use your hands to touch other lives with God's goodness!

You can do it! So can I!!

Walking as a Christian: Our Five Senses – Smell

    Scent can invigorate us or calm us; it can repulse us or draw us in. It can even make us feel nostalgic because scent is often linked with our memories. We like being around things that smell nice to us and, as much as we can help it, we will avoid being around the smells we don’t prefer. Many of us are particular about how we smell, we don’t want to be off-putting to others, but have a pleasant scent that does not offend; it is for this very reason that perfumes, colognes, scented shampoos, and soaps/body washes are always in high demand.

    Knowing this, consider this passage:

“Now thanks be to God who leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ* among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the others the aroma of life leading to life…” (2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NKJV)

    The knowledge of God and Christ is our fragrance – some will be drawn to it in their search for God and some will be repelled by it (Romans 8:6-7, 1 Peter 4:1-6, see how light has the same effect in John 3:16-21). Our own senses will develop as we study and gain knowledge of God, allowing us to discern both good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).

*Interesting Fact: Psalm 45:8 describes scent of the coming Messiah’s garments as being scented with myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Myrrh smells like sweet licorice/anise, aloe smells fresh, like cool water, and cassia is similar to the scent of cinnamon. All three of these scents have a calming effect: myrrh calms and steadies the mind and is good for rest, aloe is soothing, helps with depression, and is mood-regulating, cassia helps with anxiety and shyness, and helps relieve the stress of perfectionism, making mistakes, and dwelling on the negative. Now read and consider Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-30. He is the very place, the only place, we can find true peace (Philippians 4:6-8).

    As we live for Christ (Galatians 2:20) and walk as He walked (1 John 2:3-6) we will find that some will be pleased with our behaviour and choices because they see the goodness in it (they may even ask us why we do what we do, 1 Peter 3:15), while others will see that same goodness and behave as though we are preaching words of condemnation at them as they compare our choices/behaviour to their own. The latter ones don’t want to come to the light and they are repelled by the very fragrance that emits from us as we allow God and His word to guide us.     

    Throughout the Old Testament there are mentions of the required offerings and sacrifices causing a sweet-smelling aroma that reached God (ex: Genesis 8:20-21, Leviticus 2:9). Although we are no longer required to offer blood sacrifices because of Jesus’ sacrifice, which was once for all (Hebrews 10:8-10), we still offer sacrifices to God that cause sweet aroma to reach Him. We offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 16:24) and when we walk in love as Christ loved us we are offering a sweet-smelling aroma to God (just as Christ did when loved us and gave Himself for us, Ephesians 5:1-2).  Sharing our blessings and helping those in need also offers “a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). And did you know that our very prayers are golden bowls of incense to God in heaven? Read and consider Revelation 5:8, it may just change the way you approach prayer and make you more consistent in your offering of them.

    Do you smell of the fragrance of Christ? Does knowledge of God and His Son permeate from you – making it evident to all that you are a child of God (think on 1 Timothy 4:15-16)? Are you developing your own sense of smell through reading, study, and application (Hebrews 5:14, James 1:21-27)? If you're walking as Jesus walked be proud of the way you smell, let it be your signature scent, as you humbly give yourself to the Lord and to the work He created you for (Ephesians 2:10)!   

You can do it! So can I!!

Walking as a Christian: Our Five Senses – Taste

    I know very few people who can flip through an old cookbook, read a written recipe, and determine instantly how it would taste. They gain that ability from many years of experience in cooking and/or baking; by reason of use they have become familiar with both the ingredients and the processes. They have found fulfillment in following the recipe, and trusting the directions, they are confident that everything will turn out right in the end.

    Not all are like that. Many will glance at the heavy cookbook and say, “Ugh! Too many words, looks too difficult; who has the time? I need something easier!” While others will look at the cookbook and ask where the pictures are – they need to see the end results for motivation before they even begin to follow a recipe.

    But anyone who has been to a potluck* knows that tasting something new to you and liking it is the biggest motivator toward asking who made it and how. You are much more likely to take that recipe and try it out for yourself – gathering the ingredients, following the directions, and discovering the wonderful end results – simply because you tasted it and came to know that it was good!

*a meal where everyone attending brings a dish of food to share

“Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” (Psalm 34:8 NKJV)

    David pleads with those who are on the edge of understanding, those who are not sure of who they can trust. He implores them to take God at His word, trust Him, and try doing what He says – follow His instructions, discover the good end results!  We are to do just as David did and encourage others to “taste and see that the LORD is good” – just try a bite, so to speak, by inviting them to church services or a bible study (“Come and see,” John 1:39, 46; 4:29). Beyond that we can encourage them to read and study with us, so they can learn of God’s “ingredients” and “directions” and how they will come together into something worth having in their life.

    It’s important to note that we oftentimes become the “pictures” in the cookbook for those on the edge of understanding – they look at us and determine if we exhibit an end result that is worth the effort to try to achieve for themselves – so we need to be careful that our “ingredients” and “methods” are according to His recipe!

    We, who have tasted that the LORD is good, need to develop an appetite for His word; as we learn to trust and obey the first principles, we need to grow and begin to taste (try so we can understand) bigger bites and portions – things that require more chewing (meditating and thinking time), so that we can train our senses to properly discern what is good and what is bad.

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word if righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised t I discern both good and evil.” (Hebrews 5:12-14 NKJV)

    God gave us His word and He wants us to hear it (Romans 10:17), He wants us to taste His good word and the powers of the age to come (savour the hope one can have beyond this life) and then trust Him enough to follow His directions (James 1:21-25); He wants us to taste His heavenly gift and become partakers of the Holy Spirit so we can gain knowledge, wisdom, and spiritual understanding (Colossians 1:9-14).

“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.” (Hebrews 6:4-6 NKJV)

    If you have tasted the good things of God and then fall away, there will be nothing new delivered – there is no new ‘recipe’ to try or ‘cookbook’ that will be manufactured to renew your interest in Him. If you have sat at the table He has prepared for you (Psalm 23:5), if you at one time joyed in the search of the unending treasures of His wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:2-3), but now, for whatever reason, have decided that the junk food offered by the world is more appealing, there will be nothing new offered that will bring you back – and your rejection of God’s goodness and provision causes Jesus and His sacrifice to be belittled and blasphemed by the world you have turned to – you’ve put Him and all He has done for you to an open shame. Only humbling yourself in repentance, acknowledging the corruption of the world’s offerings and spewing them out (turning wholly from them), and once again regaining a taste for the good things of God can allow you a seat at His table once more – and it is only by God’s grace and mercy that will happen.

    We need to develop our sense of taste for what is good. Only God is good. His word is good. Follow the instructions of Philippians 4:8, think on (chew on) only what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy – that is God and His word! – and trust, after diligently following His directions, that everything will turn out right in the end (Hebrews 11:6, 2 Timothy 1:8-12, Romans 8:28)!

    If you have tasted and saw that the LORD is good, keep building your appetite for His goodness and keep following His instructions – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6, consider also Psalm 34:10) – God’s word will provide endless “meals” that will nourish you and allow you to grow (2 Peter 3:18) and flourish!!

You can do it! So can I!!   

Walking as a Christian: Our Five Senses – Hearing

“…the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” (Proverbs 18:15 NKJV)

    Continuing in our five-lesson study of our five senses, we will look this week at hearing and how to use this sense to glorify God who made us and gave us these benefits (Proverbs 20:12, Psalm 139:13-14).

    Wisdom, personified, says “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, for blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, and obtains favour from the LORD.” (Proverbs 8:32-35). We need to use our ears to hear what is good and beneficial!

    Using our ears to really hear and listen is important, so much so that Jesus, Himself, calls for our use of them repeatedly – “he that has an ear, let him hear” – at the beginning of the New Testament (Matthew 11:15, 13:9, 43, Mark 4:9, 23, 7:16, Luke 8:8, 14:35) and at the end (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29, 3:6, 13, 22, 13:9). Why is it so important? Because God calls us through the gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14) and faith comes from hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17).

    Our hearing is limited by our heart’s interest in the subject matter. Consider Pharaoh who hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses (Exodus 8:15, 19, etc.), the Israelites who turned from God (Zechariah 7:8-14, Proverbs 28:9), and those who refuse to hear the pure gospel message (Acts 7:51-57, 2 Timothy 4:3-4).  

“O, be careful little ears what you hear…” (Children’s song, 1956, Zondervan Music)

    What we listen to daily can affect our heart’s capability to develop interest and limits. Think on Jesus’ parable of the sower (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8) where the heart’s ability to really listen to the word of God is hindered by the “rocks and weeds” of persecution, trials, and cares of this world. If we give our ears to the people who criticize us for believing in God or listen to the world who says “money is everything” our interest in hearing “pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44-48) and “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19) we will be minimal at best. That is why we need to be careful what we listen to regularly (ungodly people, TV shows, movies, music, audiobooks, podcasts, etc.) and why we are cautioned against using our ears for evil things like listening to slander/gossip (Proverbs 18:8, 26:22) and empty words that deceive (Ephesians 5:1-7).

“Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 4:7b NKJV)

    We need to have a heart that is constantly developing interest in hearing God’s word so we can be doing what He has told us in His word (James 1:21-25), this very thing shows true wisdom on our part (Matthew 7:24-29). Let us be like the multitudes who pressed about Jesus to hear the word of God (Luke 5:1) and the noble Bereans who received the word with all readiness (Acts 17:11) and let’s determine to keep our ears open to His word, letting it correct us and guide us toward full maturity (2 Timothy 3:16-17)!

You can do it! So can I!! 

Walking as a Christian: Our Five Senses - Sight

    I would like to finish up this year of Faithfully Flourishing with a small, 5-lesson series that explores bible verses that pertain to our five senses (if the Lord wills we will look at one sense per week) and how to use them to seek God and walk properly in His sight. Let’s begin this week with our sense of sight.

“Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men.” (Psalm 66:5 NKJV)

    At some point in your life, either directly or indirectly, someone said to you, “Come and see the works of God.” Maybe it was a parent, grandparent, or relative, maybe it was your spouse, a friend, neighbour, or coworker, maybe it was a stranger, a posted ad, or an invite to study the bible, but someone encouraged you to open your eyes to God and His wondrous work.

    God has blessed people with sight, even those with vision impairment or loss can have their spiritual eyes opened to His great goodness (Psalm 119:18) because in His light, we see light (Psalm 36:9); we can see and know the proper pathway that leads to Him (Psalm 119:105, Matthew 7:13-14). Our loving Father sent His Son to be the light of the world (John 8:12) so that we could see the way out of the darkness of sin and have hope (John 1:4-13; 3:16-21).

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct it to You, and look up.” (Psalm 5:3 NKJV)

    Once we have had our eyes opened, we need to keep our eyes focused on Jesus to avoid falling back into old sinful habits (Colossians 3:1-18) and to keep ourselves moving forward in the “race” (Hebrews 12:1-2, Philippians 3:12-16). We, as Christians, are to grow and flourish (2 Peter 3:18, 1 John 2:3-6) because going dormant (not progressing) will result in spiritual shortsightedness and even blindness that will cause us to stumble (read and think on 2 Peter 1:5-11). We need to value our gift of sight and use it to God’s glory by reading and studying (1 Timothy 4:13, 15-16, so we can do what He says, James 1:21-25), seeing the needs of others (Matthew 25:34-46, 1 John 3:17-18; 5:16, Titus 2:3-5) and sharing our blessings (2 Corinthians 9:7-11) so we can benefit others and tell them of God (Matthew 5:14-16, 1 Peter 2:9)!

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3 NKJV)

    We have hope, when this life is over, of seeing God the Father and His Son as they are! We need to keep ourselves pure, starting with how we use our sight (consider Psalm 101:3a and Matthew 5:27-30, we know this applies to women looking at men as well). Let’s appreciate our sight and use it to draw closer to God, to learn from His word, and to see His goodness in the world (Psalm 27:15, Romans 1:20, Hebrews 11:1, 3)! And let’s let our faith develop so we can be like the patriarchs who saw God’s promises afar off, were assured of them, embraced them, and desired that better, heavenly country (Hebrews 11:13-16) and, like them, let's look eagerly for Jesus’ coming (2 Peter 3:13-14, Revelation 1:7) anticipating when our faith will become clear, flawless sight (Psalm 17:15, Revelation 22:4)!!

You can do it! So can I!!