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The fear of the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom.

Proverbs 9:10

     Wisdom is defined in Webster’s Dictionary as “the ability to judge soundly and deal sagaciously with facts especially as they relate to life, conduct, discernment and judgment.”  These characteristics are sought after in each generation and in every culture.  Those individuals possessing them are qualified for positions of authority and responsibility and are the ones we look to for advice and counsel.  Wisdom should be chief among all the prerequisites for appointment in our government, our places of business and in our churches.  The scriptures have much to say about wisdom.  “Blessed is the man who finds Wisdom.”  (Proverbs 3:13)  “For Wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”  (Proverbs 8:11)  “I, Wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion.”  (Proverbs 8:12)  “Counsel and sound judgment are mine; I have understanding and power.”  (Proverbs 8:14)  “With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.”  (Proverbs 8:18)  “I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice.”  (Proverbs 8:20)  The scripture is also clear about where this wisdom originates.  Proverbs 9:10 tells us that this wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord.  Unless we have learned to fear the Lord, we have not yet started on our journey to wisdom.  The development of the fear of the Lord in our lives, then, must be our objective if we would obtain wisdom.

How is the fear of the Lord developed in our lives?  Not surprisingly, we find that diligence and desire play an important role in learning to fear the Lord.  Proverbs 2:1-5 instruct us to “accept my words,”  “store up my commands,” “call out for insight,” “cry aloud for understanding,” “look for it as silver, and search for it as for hidden treasure, and you will understand the fear of the LORD.”  Have you ever called out for insight, or cried aloud for understanding?  This is the intensity that is needed to discover the fear of the Lord.  The word of the Lord is also given to us that we may learn to fear Him.  Deuteronomy 31:13 states “Their children, who do not know this law, must hear it and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”  Is learning to fear the Lord one of our objectives in reading the word of God?  Prayer is also a means of learning to fear God, as described in Psalm 86:11.  “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”  Are we including a desire to grow in the fear of the Lord in our prayers?  We also see that we may gain fear from the instruction of others.  “He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God.”  (II Chronicles 26:5)  There are many who may instruct us, but are we seeking those who will help us to fear God?

It is obvious to us that the fear of the Lord should be developed in our lives through our diligence, the effect of the word of God, prayer, and the investment of others in our lives.  Our Lord places such a high priority on the development of the fear of Him in our lives that He also uses miracles such as the crossing of the Red Sea “so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.”  (Joshua 4:24)  The Lord continues to perform many miraculous interventions in our lives.  Are we recognizing these and growing in our fear of Him?  He also permits trials and testing in our lives for the same purpose.  “Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid.  God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning.’”  (Exodus 20:20)  The Lord also gives us His creation that we may learn to contemplate nature and come to fear Him.  “‘Should you not fear me?‘ declares the LORD.  ‘Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.  The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.’”  (Jeremiah 5:22)  Elizabeth Barrett Browning pens these words in “Aurora Leigh.”

Earth’s crammed with heaven

and every common bush afire with God,

But only he who sees takes off his shoes,

the rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.

As we contemplate the wonders of His creation, do we take off our shoes?  Or do we merely sit round it and pluck blackberries?  We see, finally, that the Lord Himself gives us His fear as a gift of His Grace.  “They will be my people and I will be their God.  I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them.”  (Jeremiah 32:38-39)

The development of the fear of the Lord takes different paths in all of our lives.  What is the Lord using in your life to produce His Fear in your life so that you will attain unto wisdom?  It begins with His gift, His Spirit, creating a fear of Him in our lives.  He exposes us to the instruction of others, permits trials and would open our eyes to the multiple miracles he provides in our lives so that we may grow in our fear of Him.  Our Lord also desires us to respond to His Spirit by exhibiting diligence in our lives to His word and to prayer, both of which he will use to produce the fear of God in our lives.

Proverbs 4:7 states  “Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom.”  Are we growing in our attainment of wisdom?  If so, it is because we are learning more clearly what it means to fear Him.  May the Lord so direct your hearts into His fear that you may attain unto His wisdom.

In Christ,
Richard Spann

This Book will keep you away from sin,

OR

sin will keep you away from this Book.

— Howard Hendricks

Howard Hendricks related that early in his life, a Sunday School teacher had given him a Bible.  Inside the front cover was written the following note.  “This Book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.”  These words have been proved true in many lives over many generations.  When I was about ten years of age, my mother started me on a scripture memory program.  It was not the TMS, nor Memorize the Word, nor was it a few isolated verses.  She recommended an entire chapter of the Bible!  The one she started me on was not an ordinary chapter by any means.  I learned later that it was, in fact, the longest chapter of the Bible!  It contained 176 verses, each arranged in a series of eight verses. (For each eight verses I memorized, I would earn a dime.)  Early in my scripture memory program, I came across this verse in Psalm 119:11.  “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  There is no doubt that she was very familiar with this verse and had chosen these series of verses carefully so as to impact my life with the word of God in such a way that it would keep me from sin.  The Bible has much to say about its purpose in keeping us from sin.  In I John 2:1, we read the following.  “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin.”  Perhaps the most prominent example of how either the Bible keeps us from sin, or sin keeps us from the Bible is seen in the life of King Solomon.

This Book will keep you away from sin.

“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites.  It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left.  Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.”  Deuteronomy 17:18-20.

OR

Sin will keep you away from this Book.

“The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, ‘You are not to go back that way again.’  He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray.  He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold.”  Deuteronomy 17:16-17.

Which path did Solomon choose to follow?  Sadly, we read the following in II Chronicles 9:25 and 28.  “Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he kept in the chariot cities and also with him in Jerusalem.”  “Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and from all other countries.”  We also read in II Chronicles 9:13 that “The weight of the gold that Solomon received yearly was 666 talents.”  Finally, we find in I Kings 11:3 that  “He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines and his wives led him astray.”  These sins in which King Solomon persisted kept him from keeping the covenant and decrees which he was commanded to obey.  We read later in I Kings 11:9-10 that  “The LORD became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice.  Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the LORD’s command.”  Solomon initiated a disregard for the law of the LORD in his life that was to recur repeatedly throughout the Kings of Israel and Judah.  We eventually find such a disdain for the word of the Lord that we read the following story in Jeremiah chapter 36.  In verses 6 and 7 it says “So you go to the house of the LORD on a day of fasting and read to the people from the scroll the words of the LORD that you wrote as I dictated.  Read them to all the people of Judah who come in from their towns.  Perhaps they will bring their petition before the LORD, and each will turn from his wicked ways, for the anger and wrath pronounced against this people by the LORD are great.”  When these words were read to the King from the scroll, we see his response in verses 22-24.  “It was the ninth month and king was sitting in the winter apartment, with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him.  Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll, the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire.  The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear, nor did they tear their clothes.”  Sin was, in fact, keeping King Jehoiakim away from the Book.

If Solomon, endowed with wisdom from God and used by the Lord to write part of His word, allowed sin to keep him from the Book, what hope do we have in trusting His Book to keep us away from sin?  Thankfully, we find the answer to this question in Deuteronomy 17:19.  In the King James Version it reads as follows.  “And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life:  that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them.”  The three words of particular interest to us in terms of our responsibilities are read, fear and keep.  We are commanded to read all the days of our lives.  One of our recent men’s conference speakers described a study done several years ago in which an evaluation of the frequency of reading the Bible was compared with differences in the lives of the men in the study group.  The results were quite striking.  Those who read their Bibles three days a week or less had no significant differences in their lives compared with those who never read the Bible!  Deuteronomy 17:19 speaks about consistency.  (“Read all the days of our lives.”)  It is the hunger for a daily intake of God’s word, knowing that “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)  Deuteronomy further speaks to us about the purpose of our daily reading.  It is to “learn to fear the LORD our God.”  He is the focus of our reading.  Our primary purpose is to know Him more fully, to love Him more deeply, to worship Him more perfectly, and to fear Him more completely.  It is the attitude of David reflected in Psalm 27:4.  “One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.”  The result of this fear is described in Psalm 31:19.  “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you.”  This fear of the LORD is reflected in our obedience to Him.  “To fear the LORD is to shun evil.” (Proverbs 8:3)  We are no longer simply informed by the word of God, we are transformed.  II Corinthians 3:18 states it this way.  “But we all, with open faces beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”   As we spend time daily in His word, learning to fear the LORD our God, our lives are being changed into His likeness by His Spirit, enabling us to “keep all the words of this law and these statutes to do them.”  Thus the truth of the statement, “This Book will keep you from sin,” will become a reality in our lives.

In Christ,
Richard Spann

We can lead Problem oriented lives, or

we can lead Promise oriented lives.

Jim Morris

We are born with individual temperaments which vary from person to person.  These are additionally influenced by the environment in which we live.  Some people see the glass as half-full.  Others see it as half-empty.  We call these individuals optimists and pessimists.  Although these natural tendencies may influence the spiritual realm, we all have three enemies which, regardless of our temperament, tend to direct us toward a problem oriented life.  These three are the world, the flesh and the devil.  The world presents a myriad of problems to us, as Job states “man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”  The flesh is assailed by the “worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things.” (Mark 4:19)  The devil works to create doubt, discouragement and even depression.

The scriptures are full of references to those who led problem oriented lives.  The first group that comes to mind is the children of Israel as they camped in the desert.  A marvelous revelation of the Lord was given to them in the crossing of the Red sea.  The sea parted and they passed through on dry land.  When the Egyptians followed them, they were drowned.  They were given the testimony of the pillar of fire at night and the cloud by day, testifying to God’s presence among them.  Yet within three days they grumbled against Moses saying “What are we to drink?” (Exodus 15:24)  Within a few weeks they grumbled again against Moses “you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” (Exodus 16:3)  Multiple examples are present of their failure to live by the promises and determination to focus on the problems.  The most glaring of these was their reluctance to enter the promised land.  They saw it not as the land of promise, but as the land of problems and refused to enter.  The Lord stated “How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?” (Numbers 14:11)

We look back on the Israelites and with 20-20 hindsight we cannot believe they would be so blind.  If we were to fast forward to our lives today, however, how would we describe ourselves?  Are we characterized predominantly by praise and thankfulness-or do our lives consist of recurrent complaints, grumbling and dissatisfaction?  I have met some Christians whose lives seem to parallel those of the children of Israel in the desert.  Though assured of God’s promises and protection, their focus seems to be on physical needs that are, to their mind at least, not met as expected or in a less timely manner than they wished.  Their lives gravitate from one problem to the next.  In addition, like the children of Israel, there is recurrent grumbling about their leaders.  With a problem oriented lifestyle, they see mainly problems in their future and as the children of Israel refused to enter the promised land, so these people are reluctant to enter and possess what the Lord has promised to them.

The scriptures also contain many references to those who despite overwhelming problems chose to live a promise oriented life.  Hebrews chapter 11 enumerates some of them.  Abraham was told at 100 years of age that he would have a son, even though he and Sarah were past child bearing age.  Romans 4:20-21 states the following about Abraham.  “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”  The list of those who lived by faith, that is, led promise oriented lives includes Abel, Enoch, Noah, Moses, and the children of Israel themselves as they passed through the Red sea, and as they walked around Jericho.  It included many others as well, and, in fact, is a chapter of the Bible that is still being written in heaven including all today who have chosen to lead promise oriented lives by faith.

The promises of the Lord are endless and include the presence, the power and the purpose of Christ being lived out through our lives by the Holy Spirit.  In Him, we have the assurance of salvation, the assurance of answered prayer, the assurance of victory, the assurance of forgiveness and the assurance of guidance.  Psalm 139:16 tells us that each event of every day of our lives is under the control of One who is characterized by infinite love, perfect knowledge and absolute control.

If we are to live lives that are characterized by faith we need to change our thinking from a problem oriented lifestyle to a promise oriented lifestyle.  This does not mean that we are to be a “Pollyanna,” nor does it mean that we must put on rose colored glasses to view our world.  It does mean that we follow the scriptural direction to bring every problem or concern to the Lord, rather than dwell upon it, or try to fix it by our own methods.  Philippians 4:6-7 states.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  Sometimes I have had to bring the same concern to the Lord multiple times in a day!  Nevertheless, I have continued to do so, knowing that this is His promise and He intends that I should live by it.  After having brought our problems to the Lord, He may provide specific leading for us.  This may include reconciliation with some individual, a further need for prayer, a letter to be written, or a visit that needs to be made to someone.  Quite often, the problem which commands our attention is one about which we can apparently do nothing.  The answer to this dilemma was illustrated to me years ago by Lorne Sanny, past president of the Navigators.  He stated that sometimes he would arrive at his office on monday morning and find a stack of problems that the Navigators were experiencing in different parts of the world.  He confessed that at times, he would not have any clue where to begin to deal with the problems.  It was then that he would place them in a pile and say to the Lord.  “Lord, I am convinced that you are able to solve all these problems without my help, and I would like to ask you to do that.  If there is anything you want me to do, just let me know and I will do it.”

Once we have left our problems in the Lord’s hands, we are then free to concentrate on Him and on His promises.  Whatever need we have, His Grace is sufficient.  In His word we will find promises that more than meet the need presented by our problem.  In the book of Ephesians we see a progression from “sit” in Ephesians 2:6 (and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus) to “walk” in Ephesians 4:1 (I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called) and to “stand” in Ephesians 6:13. (Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.)  It is by sitting with Him, dwelling on His promises, that we are able walk in His way and stand against our adversaries.  This is the goal that the Hymn writer of old, B. Kelso Carter had in mind when he penned the following verses to the Hymn “Standing on the Promises.”

 

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,

Through eternal ages let His praises ring;

Glory in the highest I will shout and sing,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing on the promises I now can see

Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me:

Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,

Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,

Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,

Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,

Resting in my Savior, as my all in all,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

May the Lord direct your hearts into His promises as they guide your life in Him.

 

In Christ,

Richard Spann

His master replied, “Well done,

good and faithful servant.”

Matthew 25:21

      On two occasions our Lord spoke of the Master commending His servants.  One of these is in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25) and the other is in Luke 19. (The parable of the minas).  In both cases, it was a view of the future when each of us will stand before our Lord.  II Corinthians 5:10 also speaks of this time.  “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”  This judgment seat (Bema) is a seat of rewards, not condemnation, our condemnation already being taken by Christ.  (II Corinthians 5:21-”For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”)  In these six words, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” we are given instruction in regard to what our Lord will find commendable in our lives on that day.

The first word which is arresting is simply the word “good.”  Our casual view of this word robs it of its scriptural significance defined by our Lord’s own words in Mark 10:18.  “‘Why do you call me good,‘ Jesus answered.  ‘No one is good-except God alone.’”  Jesus statement was designed to bring the rich young ruler to the realization of the Deity of Christ.  We see, then, that goodness is Godliness, and comes only from God Himself.  To be recognized by our Lord as “good” implies the presence of the character of Christ Himself.  No other source of goodness is available to mankind.  By God’s grace, He has made the life of Christ available to us.  Galatians 2:20 states “I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me”… and also in Colossians 3:3-4, “For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.”

The second word which demands attention is the word faithful.  This has also been translated as reliable and implies dependability or trustworthiness.  I Corinthians 4:2 states “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”  Ephesians 2:10 tells us “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  THe Lord has prepared us individually for His work.  He has prepared His work for us, and the Holy Spirit has given us His gifts.  Unless we use His gifts to accomplish His work, we are not faithful  servants.

The third phrase in the commendation is “well done.”  This refers not to the quantity of work, but to its quality.  It is all too easy to be burdened with many things, even good things, even spiritual work; so that the mere quantity of worthwhile thing to do may lessen the quality of our work.  In I Corinthians 3:12-13 we read the following.  “If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.”  One of the verses that I particularly find convicting is Colossians 3:23.  “ And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”  Would the quality of our work be different if we were personally interacting with the Lord in all we do?  If the answer is yes, then we have not fully realized that our ministry or work with others is, in fact, a ministry to and interaction with the Lord.

We all look forward to that day when we see our Lord face to face.  Our desire is to hear these words, repeated in the New Testament in these parables,  “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  To that end we must be abiding in Him, for unless we are dependent upon His presence, His power, and His purpose, our efforts are as nothing. This demands continual fellowship with Him in which His resources are given to us to meet our responsibilities, and in which our resources are available to Him to meet His responsibilities.  As He makes known to us what He would have us to do, whether prayer, an act of service, a gift, or the direction to speak His word; then let us be faithful.  Let us say as the psalmist.  “I hasten to do your will, O Lord.”  And as we do His work in His strength; let us remember that we are actually serving Him as we serve others, so that when the fire tests the quality of our work, it will be seen to have been built with gold, silver and costly stones rather than wood, hay or straw.  Then we shall be confident on that day as we look forward to His voice, “Well done good and faithful servant.”

In Christ,

Richard Spann

Tell Archippus:  See to it that you complete

the work you have received in the Lord.

Colossians 4:17

Archippus is referred to in the last sentences of Paul’s letter to the Colossians.  He is also mentioned in Philemon 2, and referred to as a fellow soldier.  Some think that he was the son of Philemon.  As a fellow soldier with Paul, he had seen the example of Paul, was acquainted with other disciples and had been given work by the Lord which Paul reminded him to complete.  Some surmise that it was a shepherding responsibility in the absence of Epaphras.  Without knowing more of the details of his life and ministry, we may only speculate as to the exact call of the Lord on his life as well as the need for Paul’s reminder to complete that work.

Since memorizing this verse some thirty years ago, I have often reflected upon the need to complete the work that the Lord has given each of us to do.  Although differing in scope from person to person it essentially focuses on the Great Commission.  There are three aspects of making disciples included in the Great Commission. (Matthew 28:18-20)  These include going (literally, as you go), bringing them into identification with Christ, and teaching them to obey.

The term “as you go” directs us to form relationships with those with whom we come into contact.  This includes neighbors, relatives, co-workers and those with whom we  carry on business.  All of these are God given opportunities for identifying with them, serving them and praying for them in the hopes of developing a bridge that would carry the weight of the Gospel to their hearts and minds.  To complete this work means that we make the most of every opportunity.  We see these relationships as valuable because God’s love needs to be expressed through them.  Some years ago I was challenged by the example of Lorne Sanny.  After retirement from the Navigators, he made a list of all his relatives no matter how distant genealogically or geographically.  He and Lucy then set out and personally visited each of them with the intent of finding out where they were spiritually and building a relationship with them.  They were completing the work that God had given them to do.  Are we similarly motivated with all our relatives, friends, and neighbors?  Are there some with whom we need to develop relationships and trust the Lord to use our lives with them, or have we settled only for relationships with a few?

The second area of challenge for me in this verse is to bring others into identification with Christ.  Paul reminds Archippus to “complete” the work.  Does this leave room for the thought that “I made an effort, but they weren’t interested?”  I have heard estimates that the average person hears the gospel nine times before he trusts the Lord.  When should I say enough is enough, and stop my efforts to reach others for Christ?  As I write this I am reminded of a man who has been a friend for the past thirty five years.  On several occasions he has declined opportunities to look at the Bible together.  He has been open to several devotional books and periodically we have had a short discussion about Christ.  Earlier this year I thought I should make another attempt to share the Gospel with him and traveled to his home where we spent the afternoon together.  As we discussed the gospel message, I could sense no repentance or admission of need on his part.  He is in his late 80’’s and does not have many more years left in which to trust Christ.  This verse challenges me that I have not completed what Christ would have me to do in his life.  I recently purchased a book by Max Lucado called “Grace”.  I plan to visit him again in the next several weeks and share some thoughts with him as well as give him the book.  In as much as I am able, I hope to complete the work the Lord has given me in his life.

The third part of the Great Commission is declared to be “teaching them to obey.”  I recently met with an individual involved with another ministry.  He showed me some directives for a similar ministry to his in which the goal of meeting with another individual for one year was to be sure that they were attending a church.  This falls woefully short of Paul’s statement in II Timothy 2:2.  “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”  The work God had given Paul to do in another life was not complete until he could see four generations through that person’s life.  How tempted we are to think that when people are doing well spiritually, avoiding major sin, attending church services regularly, doing good works, and tithing that our work is done!  As long as they remain faithful, available and teachable, our work is not complete until those they have discipled are discipling others.

Although there are a number of possible reasons why we don’t complete the work the Lord has given us in the lives of individuals, let me mention just three.  These are doubt, delay, and discouragement.  Doubt is the first and foremost.  It is simply a lack of faith in the Lord’s ability to use us or a lack of faith in the Lord’s ability to change lives.  To delay is to put off until tomorrow what I know I should do today. Tomorrow never comes.  In regard to several individuals, I can recall delaying my response too long and the opportunity was lost.  Discouragement occurs when we look at ourselves or at the lives of others.  It is only when we steadfastly look at the Lord and His promises that we are able to complete the work we have received in the Lord.  Perhaps the most encouraging verse to me in this regard is II Thessalonians 1:10.  “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.”  It is His power that will fulfill and complete His work in the lives of others.  Do we have the faith that will prompt us to the acts that lead to the completion of the work He has given?  It so, then we can rest in His power to enable us, like Archippus, to complete the work we have received in the Lord.

 

In Christ,

Richard Spann

The worries of this life,

the deceitfulness of wealth,

and the desires for other things.

 

The above are referenced in a parable that our Lord taught by the Sea of Galilee.  The reference is found in Mark 4:18.  “Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”  The Lord used the illustration of thorns choking the seed to show how worries, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things choke the seed in our lives.  As thorns compete for the necessary soil nutrients, water and sunlight that are crucial for the development of grain, so do the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things compete for that which is necessary in our lives for fruitfulness to occur.  All of these decrease the margin we need in our lives in order to be fruitful.  Margin has been described as the difference between our load and our limit.  These three deplete the resources we need to be fruitful by increasing the demands on our emotional margin, our time margin, and our financial margin.

The worries of this life are inevitable.  Some are daily, while others are periodic.  They include the predictable as well as the unpredictable.  The worries are for ourselves, as well as for others.  They include physical needs as well as spiritual concerns for ourselves and others.  It is all too easy to allow these matters to dominate our thinking and deplete our emotional margin.  These all require our attention and we should think carefully about how to deal with them.  Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us, however, that although we should “use” our own understanding, we should not “rely,” that is, place our dependence on our own understanding.  The source of our dependence is described in Philippians 4:6-7.  “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  It is in the daily bringing of all our worries to the Lord that we are enabled to have His peace guard our hearts and our minds.  Only then will we have the emotional margin necessary for fruitfulness in our lives.

Wealth may be deceitful.  It deceives us when we place our trust in wealth, and consequently give our lives in exchange for its accumulation.  Psalm 62:10 tells us “though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.”  We are also told “don’t wear yourselves out to get rich.”  We are controlled by our desires.  If we desire wealth above all else, we are controlled by that which is necessary for its accumulation. It consequently consumes our time to produce it, leaving no margin in our lives to have an impact on the lives of others.  I met with a man years ago who desired to have a fruitful ministry with others.  Unfortunately, he had a more compelling desire which was to accumulate wealth through his work.  This led to many trips throughout the state in business ventures, the majority of which were successful financially.  He retired a wealthy man.  No one, to my knowledge, however, obtained any spiritual benefit from his life.  The deceitfulness of wealth choked the word in his life.  In Matthew 6:19-34, our Lord deals with the necessary things in life as well as that which would be considered wealth.  In regard to wealth, He says in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  In regard to necessary things, He says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you as well.”  I have certainly found this verse to be true in my medical practice for over forty years.  I benefitted from the Lord’s direction early in my practice to schedule daily time with Him, as well as with others to whom He would have me minister.  Although this decision left several hours less daily for the practice as compared to my partners, the Lord used the available time to help me be more efficient and enable me to carry my share of the partnership responsibilities.  By seeking Him and His kingdom first, I was able to maintain margin in my life for others.  

The desires for other things is also likened to thorns which choke our lives and prevent fruitfulness. The Lord warns that “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”  One way it chokes us is by diminishing financial margin.  I have known individuals and couples whose lives were characterized by “things.”  These included unnecessary items or items of luxury they could not afford.  Their lives were consumed by a debt burden which took years from which to recover.  They had no financial margin from which to help sustain any fruitful ministry.  In addition, the debt burden eroded emotional margin as well as the margin of time, requiring a second job in some cases to get out of debt.  The scriptures advise us to replace this “covetousness” with “contentment.”  Hebrews 13:5 says, “Be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

It is the margin in our lives which gives us the emotional energy, the time and the finances with which to make an impact in the lives of others.  This margin is challenged daily by the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things.  As I write these words, I am supremely conscious of the struggles in my own life to maintain margin in these three areas.  I do not think there will ever be a time in our lives when we will not need to do battle with these three in some form.  In I Corinthians 1:9, God states that He has called us into fellowship with Christ Jesus our Lord.  It is in fellowship with Him that His resources will be made available to us to meet our responsibilities. It is also true that, in fellowship with Him, our resources of energy, time and finances are made available to Him to meet His responsibilities.  As we maintain fellowship with our Lord we can depend upon Him to guard our lives from these “thorns” which threaten to choke our fruitfulness and that our lives will be like those described in Mark 4:20.  “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop-thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown.” 

In Christ,

Richard Spann

Do you truly love me

more than these?

John 21:15

The above question, posed by our Lord to Simon Peter, was one of the more significant questions to mankind and came at the end of His earthly ministry.  The occasion was after the Lord had served seven of His disciples breakfast after an overnight fishing trip.  It was only successful after the Lord had instructed them to fish on the other side of the boat!  After their arrival on shore, Simon Peter climbed aboard and counted the fish, which numbered 153.  After the Lord served them bread and fish, He then singled out Simon Peter and asked him the above question.  Opinion varies as to what the Lord meant by “these.”  Was He referring to the fish or to the other disciples, or something else?  Peter certainly loved to fish-only a true fisherman counts his fish! For him, it was not only a vocation, but an avocation.  I am able to identify with Peter in regard to loving to fish.  Whether it be walleyed pike, trout or salmon, it is something I delight in doing.  Some suggest that perhaps the Lord was referring to Peter’s relationship with others.  What is clear, however, is that the Lord desired to know if anything stood between Peter and his complete devotion to His Lord.  In that sense, it is an age abiding question, and one which we need to address continually in our lives.

Leroy Eims used the following illustration to help us understand the importance of complete devotion.  He started by saying the following.  Suppose that I were to take a trip across the country for a meeting and call back to my wife with the following story.  “The meeting is going well here.  By the way, I met a really nice gal today at the meeting and we are having dinner tonight and breakfast together tomorrow.  But don’t worry, Virginia, you are still number one.”  He then asks, “How do you think Virginia would feel?”  Leroy then remarked that sometimes we treat the Lord similarly by regarding our relationship with Him like that of a horse race.  “The Lord is ahead by a length, but “hobbies“ is coming up fast on the rail, and “work” is only two lengths behind.”

The Lord desires complete and total devotion to Him without any competition on the scene whatsoever.  These competitors may be subtle.  I have attempted to identify them in my own life by looking at the following four words-time, treasure, thoughts, and trust.  How do I spend discretionary time?  Do I use it to follow hobbies, business ventures, pleasure or relaxation?; or am I drawn to the Lord to spend this time with Him and in His word?  How do I spend additional income which is not needed for current expenses?  Is it spent for worldly things or invested in His kingdom?  What do my thoughts entertain when not actively involved with daily matters of importance?  Do they return in prayer, in worship, and in thankfulness to the Lord for His daily mercy and grace?  In regard to trust, where do I look for my security?  Is it in my employment?, a retirement account?, or is it in the Lord, Who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment?

What are the “these” in your life?  Are there competitors for your devotion to the Lord?  Based on the affirmation of Peter’s loyalty and devotion, the Lord gave the following commands to his disciple.  “Feed my lambs.”  “Take care of my sheep.”  “Feed my sheep.”  Only those who are fully loyal are able to walk closely enough with the Lord that His presence, His power, and His purpose are available through Him to shepherd others.  Only in abandonment to Him are we able to realize and rely on Him to shepherd others through us.  It is my prayer that your devotion to our Lord would be such that would enable His power to feed and to shepherd many sheep through your lives.

In Christ,

Richard Spann

 I think that I would rather use a

 clean peanut jar.

 Leroy Eims

There had been a large meeting at the Eims’ household the previous evening.  Many guests attended and the conversations lasted well into the night.  It was past midnight when everyone left and they left the dirty dishes and glasses where they were until morning.  When he arose the next morning Leroy went into the kitchen to get a drink of water.  All of the ornate crystal glasses were sitting out on the table, beautiful in appearance, but as he looked closer, he could see smudges and spots on the glasses.  Their everyday glasses were likewise dirty and not suitable to use for getting a drink.  As he opened the cabinet and began looking further, he spotted not a glass, but a peanut butter jar sitting on a top shelf.  He immediately reached for the jar, saw that it was clean and filled it with water to quench his thirst.  Leroy’s use of the above illustration was in reference to the verses found in II Timothy 2:20-21.  “In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.  If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.”

In our houses we are familiar with the noble and the ignoble.  We have china dishes or perhaps crystal that we use on special occasions.  We also may have some china plates or cups that represent several areas to which we have traveled.  We are also familiar with wood and clay.  Those are the items which are used for ignoble purposes.  I have never had anyone point with pride, for example, to a waste basket, mops or brooms as objects to be treasured and valued.  In God’s house our cleanliness determines how we are to be used.

It is interesting to note that usefulness is not dependent upon seminary training, educational advancement, or special programs of study.  Usefulness in God’s house is not related to our knowledge.  Our position, or prestige in the church or community is likewise unrelated to God’s use of our lives for noble purposes.  I have known of pastors whose lives were used for ignoble purposes, and automobile mechanics whose lives were used for noble purposes.

II Timothy 2:20-21 states that an instrument used for noble purposes must be cleansed prior to its use.  This cleansing is referred to in I John 1:9.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  As a result of this cleansing, we are made holy, (“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”  Hebrews 10:10) useful to the Master, (“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1) and prepared to do any good work. (For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it,”….Ezra 7:10)

The New Covenant, described in II Corinthians 2:12-6:18, is filled with God’s promises that we are to be ministers of the New Covenant, participants in the Glory of the New Covenant, demonstrating His treasure in our jars of clay, and joining with Him in the ministry of reconciliation.  The Apostle Paul did not take these privileges for granted.  They came with a responsibility.  He describes this responsibility at the end of these promises in II Corinthians 7:1.  “Having therefore these promises dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” Our lives must be lived in such close contact with His Spirit that we experience that continual cleansing that prepares us to be instruments for noble purposes.

In Christ,

Richard Spann

Though the fig tree does not bud

and there are no grapes on the vines,

though the olive crop fails

and the fields produce no food,

though there are no sheep in the pen

and no cattle in the stalls

yet I will rejoice in the LORD,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign LORD is my strength,

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

he enables me to go on the heights.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NIV)

In the Old Testament, God’s hand of blessing and approval was made manifest through His abundant provision of visible resources.  These are characterized by Habakkuk as figs, grapes, olives, grain, sheep and cattle.  Whenever the Israelites departed from the Lord, these would be withheld for a time.  Upon their return to the Lord, these provisions would again be granted.  In our day, the Lord not only provides His grace to us in the provisions as mentioned by Habakkuk, but He also showers His grace upon the work done in His name.  This is manifested by what we would term as visible results of the ministry to which He has called us.  These include the people who come to know the Lord, the changes that take place in the lives of His followers, and the enlargement of the scope of the ministry He has given.  Although sin in the lives of His servants may prevent these blessings in our ministry, it seems that periodically the ministry to which we are called may seem dry and barren.  Have you ever experienced, for example, discouragement over the lack of interest of people in the gospel?  Have you been disheartened in how few followers of Christ manifest change in their lives?  Have you contemplated with dismay how few there are who have a hunger to know God’s word and who are willing to pray faithfully?

There was a time in my life about thirty years ago when I was greatly discouraged.  Few people were coming to the Lord.  Those who had made a profession were manifesting little change in their lives.  Even those who had at one time been faithful to share the gospel with others were now content to live like the rest of the world.  Fewer people were interested in studying the Bible and memorizing scripture.  The more I thought about this, the more discouraged I became.  It was at this time reading through Habakkuk that I came to the last three verses in his short book.  As I looked carefully at what the prophet was saying, I began to see that the focus of my life was misdirected.  My eyes were inclined to look at the results of the ministry, not at the Lord himself.  I was contemplating the visible, not the invisible; consumed by the temporal, instead of the eternal.  My desire had been to enjoy the gifts instead of the Giver.  The more I thought about this, I realized that in His great love, He was removing me from that which is of transient enjoyment (changeable) to that which is permanent enjoyment (unchangeable).  He wanted to satisfy me with Himself, not with His gifts.  He knew, infinitely better than I did, that my heart was designed to be fully satisfied only in Him.  In His Grace and Mercy, He had withheld for a time what came from His Hand, that I might walk hand in hand with Him.

In Habakkuk’s experience, he describes his realization of the sufficiency of the Lord in these terms.  “I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.  The Sovereign LORD is my strength, he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.”  (Habakkuk 3:18-19)  G. Campbell Morgan, in one of his sermons as recorded in the Westminster Pulpit, describes the passage from the literal expression of the Hebrew words in this manner.

“The words he made use of are remarkable words; ‘I will rejoice in the Lord,’

I hope I shall produce no shock when I translate them literally.  Take the first

Hebrew word and express it quite literally, and this is it:  I will jump for joy in

the Lord.  Take the second of the words and translate it with equal literalness,

and this is it:  I will spin around in the God of my salvation.”

When our oldest granddaughter was barely two years old, we met her at an outlet mall in Iowa.  Her mother had planned to meet us there and had not told our granddaughter that we were coming.  I can still remember the reaction of our granddaughter as we entered the McDonalds near the mall.  When she saw us, she broke into a wide smile, and began jumping up and down.  She kept on jumping repeatedly even after we had walked over to her.  Her joy and excitement at seeing us could not be contained.  This, I think, is a vivid picture of what Habakkuk is describing. Considering her response in light of this passage in Habakkuk, we should ask ourselves “Do we have this joy in the presence of our Lord?”  “Do we have such excitement that we jump and spin around?”  “Do we know Him well enough that we are able to trust Him to always work in our lives that which is for our eternal good and for His Glory?”  If so, then like Habakkuk, we will be able to wait for His supply of Grace to be made manifest in and through our lives.  Indeed, this trust will change our view of these so called low points so that we may view them no longer as valleys, but see them as high points of revelation of the Lord to our lives as described in the Amplified Bible.  “The Lord God is my strength, my personal bravery and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hinds feet, and will make me to walk (not to stand still in terror, but to walk) and make (Spiritual) progress upon my high places (of trouble, suffering or responsibility)!

In Christ,

Richard Spann

God does not send us WITH a message.

We ARE the message.

“There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.”  (John1:6)

God does not send just words only.  He sends people whose lives have been changed by His Word.  We cannot preach with words only.  They are emptied of their power unless the life embodies and illustrates them.  Unless the character is right, the conduct will ultimately be shown to be flawed.  If the root is not planted firmly in its relationship to the Lord, the fruit will not only be distasteful, but harmful.  There can be no outward righteousness without inward holiness.  Psalm 51:6 declares that God desires truth in the inner parts.  David asks in Psalm 19 that not only the words of his mouth, but also the meditations of his heart would be pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

We have all known those with whose messages we have wholeheartedly agreed, and whose instruction we appreciated, yet the passage of time has shown their character to be severely flawed.  They were not what they appeared to be.  Their lives have resulted in the destruction and scattering of the Lord’s people.  We are warned about those whose walk does not match the talk.  Matthew 7:15 describes them.  “Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”  Outwardly they appear as sheep.  They seem indistinguishable by their words from genuine sheep.  If their inward character does not match the outward appearance, their effect is like that of a ferocious wolf.  We find a glaring example of this in the book of Numbers.  The recorded words of this person were accurate, prophetic, and given to him by God.  (We even use some of them as part of the Topical Memory System. Numbers 23:19)  Despite the accuracy of his words, his heart was not right.  II Peter 2:15 declares that “he loved the wages of wickedness.”  Balaam, though speaking the words of the Lord, was the one who advised foreign women to draw the Israelites away from the Lord, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people. (Numbers 31:16)

The person who speaks with words only and not with their life communicates that the transformed life is either unnecessary or unavailable.  In the first case, they proclaim that transformation is unnecessary by its absence in their own lives.  The effect of this life is to tell others that faith alone, without works, is sufficient for our lives. This, in effect, denies the purpose of the gospel of Christ, and is declared in James Chapter 2 to be the kind of faith that causes demons to believe and tremble.  In the second case, although it may be considered necessary, its absence declares that a transformed life is unavailable to those who seek it.  They essentially deny the power of the gospel.  They are like those referred to in II Timothy 3:6; “having a form of godliness but denying its power.”  The denial of the purpose and the power of the gospel permeates the churches of Christ in such a way as to damage the faith of some and cause shipwreck to the lives of others.  No wonder, then, that these are referred to as false prophets in Matthew 7.  One acquaintance of mine told me although she was active in her faith for a few years in college, she left her belief after a few years due to the lack of change in the lives of some who professed belief in Christ.  It is my prayer that lives that have been transformed by the gospel would be used in the future to produce a change in her life.

The people that God sends have a life that is consistent with their message.  This is most clearly seen in I Thessalonians 1:5 where Paul states “because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.”  One of the reasons that it came with power is seen in the remainder of verse 5.  “You know how we lived among you for your sake.  It is also seen in I Thessalonians 2:10.  “You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.”  How then are we enabled by His grace to be those he sends, having a life that is consistent with the message He gives?  It is by constant appeal and continued application.  It is through a constant appeal to His Grace as described in Psalm 139:23-24.  “Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  It is also through continual application of that which we know to be true.  “Not that I have already obtained all this or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Philippians 3:12)  “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” (Philippians 3:16)

It is my prayer that our lives would be like that of John the Baptist in John 1:6; lived in such a way that the Lord could then say of each one of us, “There came a (man)(woman), sent by God, their name was ______.”

In Christ,

Richard Spann