Category: Uncategorized

                                                                 SIN

     Sin is a topic that our culture disregards, although it is the root cause of the deterioration of the culture in which we live.  Those with spiritual awareness are familiar with the theological definition of sin as “missing the mark.”  In the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord used a word in Aramaic for sin which includes both sins of offense, (Trespasses) and sins of neglecting to do what we ought to do. (Debts) (James 4:17)  Romans 4:23 adds another to the list.  “Everything that does not come from faith is sin.”  The following comments from a devotional entitled “New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp characterize the personal aspects of sin.  

    “I wish I could say that sin always appears horribly ugly and destructive to me, but it doesn’t.  I wish I could say that all the time and in every way I hate what God hates, but I don’t.  I wish I could say that I always love to do what is right, but I don’t.  I wish I could say that I never think that my way is better than God’s way, but I can’t.  I wish my heart were forever settled with staying inside God’s boundaries, but it isn’t.  I wish I could say that my war with sin is over, but it’s not.

     Here’s the danger for me and for you: sin doesn’t always look sinful to us.  It’s hard to admit it, but sometimes sin actually looks beautiful to us.  The man lusting after the woman in the mall doesn’t actually see something ugly and dangerous.  No, he sees beauty.  The guy who is cheating on his taxes doesn’t see the moral danger of deception.  He sees the excitement of having additional money to satisfy his desires.  The woman gossiping on the phone doesn’t see the destructiveness of what she’s doing because she is taken up with the buzz of passing a tale.  The child who is rebelling against the will of her parents doesn’t see the danger that she’s placing herself in because she is captivated by the thrill of her temporary independence.  Part of the deceptive power of sin in my heart is its ability to look beautiful when it is actually terribly ugly.” Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies, Crossway, 2014, December 20.  

     The most direct definition of sin, however, comes from I John 3:4.  “Sin is lawlessness.”  A fuller definition of lawlessness and its effects are supplied by G. Campbell Morgan.  “Sin is not a thing to be pitied.  It is a thing to be smitten, to be punished.  Its punishment lies in the line of its own activity.  If a man will turn away he turns to death, for mark the last word of James, The sin, when it is full-grown, bringeth forth death.  The man who is indeed alive, desires fulness of life, vision, sense of God and turns to find fulfillment for these things in the evil and pernicious ways of ungodliness, is not after God, he is attempting to get round God and win something which his nature wants without God, and he never succeeds.  This is sin, not merely against himself, not merely against the community, but against the cosmic order.  Sin as the willful choice of wrong is not a part of God’s cosmic process.  It is rebellion.  It is treason,  It is chaos.  Let every man who feels allurement to satisfy desire apart from the way of God know this, that when he turns in answer to it to the house of evil, to the method of wrong, he is not after God, but lifting the fist of rebellion in the face of God.  There can be but one issue for all such high treason, and that is the nemesis and the ruin of alienation from God and the consequent cutting off of the possibility of all that man most seeks after.” G. Campbell Morgan, The Westminster Pulpit, Baker Book House, 1954-1955, Vol. 2, Page 73.           

     In view of the severity of sin and its effects on us and our relationship with God, it is critical that we look at sin carefully to understand its development in our lives.  What is the genesis of sin?  What are the methods of the enemy?  What thought patterns lead to sin in our lives?  For  these answers we will look to the book of James and to the book of Genesis.   

      Sin is the answer to the suggestion that I break law to satisfy desire.  The desire is not wrong.  The temptation to satisfy that desire outside the will of God is not wrong.  James describes the process in these following verses.  “But each is one is tempted, when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death.” (James1:14-15)  G. Campbell Morgan has these comments on this passage.  “‘Dragged away’ is a hunting figure, and the word means seduced from safety into snares.  The next word, ‘enticed,’ is a fishing figure, and includes the thought of a bait held out.  The thought of the word enticed is ‘seduced by a fancied advantage.’  There is desire.  Here is a suggestion that I shall satisfy that desire by being drawn away from the straight line I see in front of me.  I am enticed by the bait that offers me immediate realization of the thing I am after.  The desire is right; the peril is that I am asked to satisfy proper desire by breaking law.  The temptation itself is not sin.  When the will within us decides to turn from the life of rectitude, take the suggestion, lay hold upon it, seize it, and capture it, then the act is committed.  That is sin.  When I seize the bait, the hidden hook seizes me.  The hook is not sin. The hook is the penalty, the first pang of hell.  The sin is the deliberate choice of the will and the determined act by which I turn aside to answer, not my desire, but the allurement to the fulfillment of desire in an improper way.  A man wins when he says, ‘Desire is perfectly right.  It is right that I should desire vision and life at it fullest, but I must find these things along the line of law.’”  G. Campbell Morgan, The Westminster Pulpit, Baker Book House, 1954-1955, Vol. 2, Page 72.       

     In the book of Genesis, we are also given insight into the method of the enemy.  “The method of the enemy was full of all subtlety.  He first asked a question which was calculated to create the sense of restricted liberty, and so cast an aspersion on the goodness of God.  Whereas the limitation in the purpose of God was wholly beneficent, and intended to hold man within the only sphere in which he could make progress towards the largest and fullest possibility of his being; the enemy suggested that it was imposed by a desire on the part of God to keep man from progress and enlargement of capacity.  Thus it is seen that at the back of the method of the devil is an aspersion cast upon the character of God.  Man was made to question the goodness of law.  By this declaration he created in the mind of man a question as to the goodness of the God who had made the law, and thus imperiled the relation of the will to God, as he called it into a place of activity outside, and contrary to, the will of God.  When man, listening to his suggestion of evil, asserted his will, it was upon the basis of a doubt of the Divine Love, which he had allowed himself to entertain.”  G. Campbell Morgan, The Crises of the Christ, Baker Book House, 1954-1955, Vol 2, Pg 14, 20.  To allow myself to entertain, then, a doubt of the Divine Love is to initiate a pathway which leads to sin.  

     One of the statements of G. Campbell Morgan that he makes in the the above book is that “To know God is to know Love, to know Love is to love.”  It naturally follows, then, that the best way to guard our lives against doubting the love of God is to deepen our relationship with Him.  Hosea 6:3 states the following about the knowledge of God. “So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord.  His going forth is as certain as the dawn, and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.” (NASB)  This verse speaks of the certainty and of the abundance of the Lord’s provision for us.  The word “press” implies that effort will be required and that there will be opposition to that effort.  As we press toward that knowledge, we will become aware that each step we take is governed by His Infinite Light and His Infinite Love.  As we draw near to Him, our doubts of His Love will diminish and our wills will increasingly become one with His.  It is my prayer that the Lord will lead you into further comprehension of the methods of the enemy and enable you to be triumphant over sin by the supply of His Gracel  

In Christ, Richard Spann          

                                                    The Great Commission

     When we think of the Great Commission, our minds automatically go to Matthew 28:18-20.  One of the speakers at the Navigator conference in Glen Eyrie reminded us years ago that it was only one of five times that the Great Commission was given.  In each situation there was a different emphasis to be considered.  It was the last command, and in each of these five instances, it was only given to the eleven apostles.  The reason for this is that only a disciple is able to make another disciple.  In Matthew 28:18-20, we see the substance of the Great Commission.  In Mark 16:15, we see the scope of the Great Commission.  In Luke 24:46-47 we see how it is to be accomplished.  In John 20:19-21, we see the cost involved in proclaiming the Gospel and in Acts 1:8, we see the strategy of the Great Commission.

     The substance of the Great Commission has been extensively studied in Matthew 28:18-20.  The main verb is to “make disciples,” and there are three participles to this command.  “Go,” or “as you go,” “bring them into identification with Christ” {Baptize them into Christ), and “teach them to obey everything that I commanded you.”  All three of these are important.  Wherever we are, whatever we do, we are to allow the invisible Christ to be made visible in our lives.  “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” (II Corinthians 2:14)  This part of the Great Commission will require time, prayer, and much cultivation in preparation for the planting.  The sowing is usually a gradual process involving patience, prayer and perseverance.  Following regeneration in Christ, the third aspect of making disciples must not be neglected, which is transformation into Christ likeness.  “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” (Colossians 1:28) 

     In Mark 16:15, we find the scope of the Great Commission.  “He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.’” The focus on “all creation” reminds us that there is no one who is outside the reach of His Grace.  Not only your neighbors, but the immigrants, the homeless, and those in prison must be a recipient of our prayers, compassion, and communication.  God has called some to travel, to translate languages, and to penetrate different parts of the world with His message of salvation  It is incumbent upon those He has not called to this particular mission, however, to give themselves to prayer and financial support to these efforts  “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”  (Matthew 9:37-38)  As we stand before Him in Glory, He is going to have an interest in our faithfulness to his command to pray for, and to support these laborers.

     Luke 24:46-47 tells us how the Great Commission is to be accomplished.  “He told them,       ‘This is what is written:  The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.’”  The preaching is to include the need for repentance, a “changing of the mind,” as well as forgiveness in His name.  In our eagerness to have others receive Christ, repentance may be easily bypassed resulting in “a decision” for Christ but without regeneration.  The first word that Jesus spoke when He began to preach was “repent.”  “From that time on Jesus began to preach ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.’” (Matthew 4:17)  Those who heard Peter’s sermon on the day Pentecost asked “Brothers, what shall we do?, Peter replied,’Repent and be baptized, everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:37b) 

     In John 20:19-21, we are given a visual demonstration of the cost involved in sharing the Great Commission.  “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’  After he said this he showed them his hands and side.  The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.  Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you!’  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’”  His wounds were a visible testimony of the cost that would be involved.  As He was sent into a hostile world which crucified Him, we are also being sent.  In John 15:20, Our Lord said the following words to them.  ”Remember the words I spoke to you!  No servant is greater than his master.  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.  If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.”  He also gave them his promise in John 16:33.  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.” 

     The strategy of the Great Commission is given to us in Acts 1:8.  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  The strategy is first and foremost dependence upon the Holy Spirit to live the life of Christ in us, to direct, empower and accomplish His work through us.  It cannot be accomplished otherwise.  To allow this to take place, we must be ever attentive to not grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), to quench not the Spirit (I Thessalonians 5:19), to be filled (Be being continually controlled with the Spirit)(Ephesians 5:18), and to be led by the Spirit. (Galatians 5:18)   

     The Lord, on five separate occasions, gave the Great Commission to these eleven men.  It was only until the coming of the Holy Spirit ten days later that they received His life anew and were enabled to obey His last and greatest command.  Our relationship with and dependence upon the Holy Spirit is vital to accomplishing anything the Lord has for us to do.  It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will lead you into a life that fully reflects our Savior and accomplishes His work in and through your life.  

In Christ, Richard Spann                

     

                                                Exceeding Abundantly Above

     These three adverbs are only vaguely familiar to those who have not read the King James Bible recently.  They describe something that is not only above, but abundantly above.  It is not only abundantly above, but it even exceeds that!  Our imaginations find it hard to go anywhere to that degree of description, but it is one of God’s promises to us.  It is found in Ephesians 3:20.  “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”  It is the perfect description of how the Lord answers our prayers.  A striking illustration of this is found in the prophecy of Zechariah in Luke 1:67-79.  His words were a request, a prayer that God would fulfill the oath He swore to Abraham.  One of his requests is found in verses 74 and 75.  “That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.”

     Zechariah’s prayer included a past, (freedom from enemies), a present (serving Him without fear), and a future (in holiness and righteousness before him, all days of our life).  He had only a dim concept of that for which he was asking.  It is probable that Zechariah was thinking only of the Romans who occupied Israel at that time.  He, no doubt, regarded fear as being produced by the extreme circumstances in which he lived and hoped to be free from that oppression.  The holiness and righteousness of which he spoke were likely due only to the daily cleansing of the temple rituals.  God’s answer to his prayer was exceedingly abundantly above all that he asked and was able to think.  

     The Lord’s answer to the prayer that Zechariah would be free from his enemies did not involve Rome.  The Lord knew what Zechariah did not know, that his true enemies were the world, the flesh and the devil.  The Lord’s answer included freedom from all three.  Galatians 6:14 states that freedom from the world and the flesh is obtained by the cross.  “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world.”  By the cross, we have been given these freedoms.  We are enabled, then, by His power, to deny self (Luke 9:23), and love not the world. (I John 2:15-16)  I John 3:8 tells us further that the Lord came to destroy the devil’s work.  

     The fear that Zechariah wanted to be delivered from was not only of temporal origin.  Their system of worship, derived from the old covenant, was one which produced a fear, as Moses described in Hebrews 12:21.  “The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, ‘I am trembling with fear.’”  In contrast to the fear produced by the old covenant, the new covenant contains this promise in I John 4:18. (Living Bible)   “We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us.  If we are afraid, it is for fear of what he might do to us, and shows that we are not fully convinced that he really loves us.”  

     Zechariah’s longing to experience holiness and righteousness all the days of his life was dependent solely upon the duties of the priest.  Hebrews 10:11 relates that “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.”  Hebrews 10:1b has this comment about the law.  “For this reason it can never by the same sacrifice repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.”  It was impossible for him to conceive that the provision of the Lord was so exceeding abundantly above his concept of holiness and righteousness that it would involve oneness with Christ Himself!  “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”  (I Corinthians 1:30)

     Zechariah’s prayer was based upon his limited temporal understanding of God’s plans for Israel.  God’s answer was based upon His eternal plans for mankind before the foundation of the world.  Zechariah’s prayer was based upon his own knowledge of what was needed.  God’s answer was based upon His perfect knowledge, complete authority, and infinite love.  In our prayers to God, we sometimes struggle with the correct terminology to describe what we are asking Him to do.  We cannot see the future.  We don’t even know, at times, what is best for ourselves and others.  Our prayers cannot begin to address the immense needs in the countries and cultures of the world whose problems are beyond our understanding.  We can be encouraged, however, by the prayer of Zechariah.  He was faithful to pray and to ask to the degree of which he was able.  His faithfulness was answered in ways that he was not able to comprehend.  It is the same with our prayers.  We need only to bring our requests to Him.  We see through a glass darkly but He does not.  He answers according to His wisdom, not ours.  His answer embraces the eternal, not just the temporal.  We are able to pray Ephesians 3:20 with confidence, knowing that His answers are, indeed, exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or think.   

In Christ, Richard Spann              

        

                  

                                                       Releasing Control

     In the book of Jeremiah, we find the following statement from God.  “My people have committed two sins. They have forsaken me, the spring of living water and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”  (Jeremiah 2:13)  Paul David Tripp states that these two sins of mankind are autonomy and self-sufficiency.  Autonomy is saying to God that “I am responsible to no one.  I have a right to rule my own life.”  In the words of A.W. Tozer,  “He challenges God’s selfhood in relation to his own.  In all else he may willingly accept the sovereignty of God; in his own life he rejects it.  For him, God’s dominion ends where his begins.  For him, self becomes Self and in this he unconsciously imitates Lucifer, that fallen son of the morning who said in his heart, ‘I will exalt my throne above the stars of God….I will be like the Most High.’”  A.W. Tozer. The Knowledge of the Holy, Harper and Row, 1961 Pg 36.

     The second of these two sins is Self sufficiency.  It is to say to God and ourselves that we are adequate to control ourselves and our environment so that all of our needs will be met.  Indeed, our very schooling and culture endeavors to teach and affirm to us that such is the case.  If we only had the right education and the opportunities, our efforts would lead to success.  We multiply efforts, change jobs, attend special seminars, move to new locations, and try new investments.  All of the above can be exhausting and lead to anxiety, depression, and damaged relationships.  The more we try to control our own lives and the environment around us, the more anxious and depressed we may become. Those who are apparently successful in control of their lives may be the most prone to experience problems.  If we assume control of our own lives we become focused upon ourselves, on others, and on our circumstances.  Such was the case with a man named Asaph.  

     In Psalm 73, Asaph describes his plight in these words.  “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold, for I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Psalm 73:2-3)  In this statement he reveals his own effort to be self sufficient and finds that he compares unfavorably with others.  Because of his inability to control and manage his life with his own efforts he concludes the following in verse thirteen.  “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.” He admitted failure in his effort to control his surroundings and his own life in order to produce the satisfaction he desired.  The recognition that one is not able to control their own life to their own satisfaction is the first step toward relinquishing control of one’s life. 

     The second step is to recognize that there is Someone who is abundantly able to guard, to control, and to fulfill that which is best for our lives.  He is the only One who knows us perfectly, who has designed us with an eternal purpose, and who is aware of our past, present, and future.  He alone knows what each day will bring, because he has written it in His book before the beginning of time. (Psalm 139:16)  Deuteronomy 31:8 tells us that “The Lord Himself will go before you. He will be with you.  He will not leave you or forget you.  Don’t be afraid and don’t worry.”  It is when we are most aware of our need that we can be assured of His care.   Job was a man who was under duress of a degree which few have experienced except the Lord Jesus.  His torment was unexplained to him.  All his friends but three deserted him, and they accused him.  Yet, even in his worst moments he realized the truth of God’s control of his life.  “But if I go to the east, he is not there; if I go to the west, I do not find him.  When He is at work in the north, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I catch no glimpse of him.  But he knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:8-10)

     The truth is that it is impossible to escape the fact that the Lord has complete knowledge  (El Roi-the God who sees), complete control (El Elyon ), and is the One who pours forth spiritual and temporal blessings on our lives. (El Shaddai)  This knowledge should produce a trust in the Lord as to His infinite love and perfect control of our lives.  Such a One as this is the One who created each of us for His glory and will prepare us to share His Glory for eternity.  Knowing these truths intellectually, and living in the power of them, however, are two different things.  If we are convinced that He is able to control our lives and that He is the only One able to do this, then why don’t we trust Him to do it? 

     In his book, Disciples are Made, not Born, Walt Henrichsen states that both God and mankind want the same thing, namely, what is best for mankind.  The problem is that mankind wills one path, while God wills another path.  It is, ultimately, our will that stands in the way of relinquishing control. It is only in relinquishing that control that we are able to enter the path that God has chosen for us.  In His will and in His path there is to be found the security and significance which our hearts desire.  Ray Stedman once commented that to ask in God’s will meant three things. 1) What God wants.  2) Dependence on Him to do it.  3) Dependence on His process to do it.  If we are to release control of our lives and rest in Him, it will come from trusting Him for these same three things in our lives. Firstly, what God wants is that the Lord Jesus be manifested in our lives each moment of every day.  We are united with Him for that purpose.  Paul states in Galatians 2:20.  “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:  and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (KJV)  It is God’s will that the invisible Christ is made visible in our lives each moment of every day. 

     Secondly, we are dependent fully upon the work of the Holy Spirit to manifest the risen Christ.  As the Lord Himself depended fully upon the Holy Spirit to manifest the Father through His life, we are to depend moment by moment for the Holy Spirit to manifest the life of Christ.  Indeed, He tells us this in John 17:18.  “As you sent me into the world I have sent them into the world.”  

     Lastly, to be controlled by Him, we are dependent upon his process to accomplish his will.   This process is described in II Corinthians 4:10-11.  “We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.  For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.”  This process provides opportunities to depend upon His power to manifest His presence.  The circumstances that come our way each day are orchestrated by our Heavenly Father for one purpose, that the risen Christ may be made visible in and through our lives.  The response that we make to each event in our lives is made in dependence upon the Holy Spirit with one end in mind, that Jesus would be made visible and the Father would be glorified.  Some of these situations in which we find ourselves are pleasant, and we are thankful for them.  Others seem to have no meaning or purpose at all.  Still others represent difficulties for which there is no explanation.  Some, however, we can see in retrospect have represented situations in which the Lord clearly wanted to manifest Himself.  Such an event was described by Jim Peterson in his book, Living Proof.    

     While in Brazil, he had labored for months with one man, sharing the Bible at length, exposing him to different people, various authors, meetings and requiring much prayer.  When he at last confessed that he had trusted Christ, Jim asked him what the key event was that had convinced him. He asked about various talks, conversations, scripture references, etc.  His friend looked at him and said, “No, none of those things.”  “Then what was it?,” asked Jim.  His friend said that one evening Jim’s family was in an uproar during the Bible study and they could hardly concentrate on the topic.  His wife was in tears and Jim calmly went over to her, held her and spoke words of comfort to her.  His friend then said that his response to that trying situation was what convinced him of the reality of the message that Jim had been teaching him.  He then said “That was the kind of life that I needed, and your faith in Christ is what I wanted in my life.”    

     We were created by the Lord to be controlled by Him.  As J.I. Packer once commented,  “When we stand before Him in glory, we will then see that nothing that was needed for our perfection in Him was omitted.  We will also see that nothing was permitted that was not necessary to complete His work in us.”  As we release the control of our lives to Him, we enter into a security and significance from Him and with Him that glorifies Him and will prepare us for our role in His eternal Kingdom.  May the Lord direct you in His will, by His power, and through His process to accomplish His work through your life.     

In Christ,  Richard Spann          

  

                          Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, 

                         shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For

                                  with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

                                                                      Luke 6:38

     The first year of my medical school training was in Lawrence, KS, where I attended a small church.  A missionary came to preach one Sunday and also presented the needs of his ministry.  I had no money available at that time since I had just spent all I had for tuition and books for the first semester.  I thought I might be able to scrape up fifty dollars by June of the next year and made a pledge for that amount.  In January, I found myself with no finances available for the second semester.  The Dean explained that their policy was not to provide loans for the first two years and they expected the students to have enough for these two years.  Because of an additional research project I had started on the history of medicine, however, he provided a scholarship grant for the last half of the first year.  All that he asked was that I present my paper at the history of medicine meeting in the spring, which I agreed to do.  June rolled around quickly and I was still fifty dollars short of making my pledge.  As I was in the midst of planning jobs for the summer I received a call from the Dean asking me if I was going to be at the Graduation Ceremonies.  When I asked why I should attend them as a freshman in Medical School, he replied that the committee had submitted my manuscript on the History of Medicine for the D.C. Guffey History of Medicine award.  He further informed me that I had won second prize!  You can imagine my surprise when he told me the award was fifty dollars!  I think to this day that if I had pledged one hundred dollars in September I would have received first prize instead!  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, had been poured into my lap!   

     We are often challenged in our churches and various other gatherings to give to the Lord’s work.  We are less often instructed as to why we should do so!  Some would say, “Does the Lord really need our money?”  “Does He not own the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine?”  Yes, indeed He does!  He also says in Haggai 2:8, “The silver is mine and the gold is mine, declares the LORD Almighty.”  We do not give because of His need, but because of our need.  There are at least four reasons given in scripture why we need to give to Him and His work.  We need to guard our hearts, to express Christ’s love to others, to provide an inheritance for ourselves and to share His happiness.   

     I know of some who check the Dow Jones Index daily and monitor their assets and bank balances regularly.  They can tell you their net worth without batting an eye!  Their treasure is stored up on earth.  This is what the Lord says about them.  “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 will your heart be also.”  (Matthew 6:19-21)  The Lord is concerned about our heart.  It will be where our treasure is.  If our treasure is only in the earth, our heart will be earthly and the “worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”  (Mark 4:19)  It is in laying up treasure in heaven that our heart will be guarded from an unfruitful life. 

     Our need to express Christ’s love to others is addressed in I John 3:17-20.  “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.  This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us.  For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”   In the act of giving to those in need we experience the love of God in and through our lives.  This manifestation of our Lord in us is used by the Holy Spirit to provide us the assurance that we belong to the Truth.   

     As parents, we teach our children financial principles which will enable them to have an inheritance for their future.  God, in the same way, desires that we have a rich inheritance for the life to come.  This is why He says that we are to “store up treasure for yourselves” in Matthew 6:19.  I Timothy 6:17-19 gives us the following instructions.  “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”  The Lord tells us further in Luke 16:9, that the size of our welcoming committee in eternal dwellings is related to our use of worldly wealth!   “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”   

     The greatest need of mankind, however, is to enjoy God and enter into oneness with Him.  Our God is a joyful God and wants us to participate with Him in His joy and happiness.  We are given glimpses of this joy throughout the scriptures.  In each case it is centered in mankind, His redemption for them and their return to Him.  Our Lord was looking forward to that time in Zephaniah 3:17.  (NASB) “The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior.  He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of Joy.”   His joy in our redemption is foreshadowed in the following parable in Matthew 13:44.  “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.  When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”  In this parable, the field is the world and the treasure represents those who belong to Christ and His Kingdom.  The man who was seeking the treasure and sold all he had was Christ.  The redemption itself is described in Hebrews 12:2.  “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”   In Luke 15:10, we see the joy produced in heaven over mankind’s reception of God’s redemption.  “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”  

     All the resources that we are given in life are given for a purpose.  Our use of them to advance and fill His Kingdom with those who are redeemed allows us the opportunity to join with Him in His happiness.  “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your master’s happiness!’”  (Matthew 25:21)  Will the measure with which we are able to enjoy His happiness be related to the measure of our faithfulness with the use of the resources he has given us?  

     One more question remains to be considered.  How much should we invest in eternity?       II Corinthians 9:6-7 has the answer.  “Remember this:  Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Every man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”  The answer is, of course, as much as you want!  How many would we want to greet us with outstretched arms, those who would not have been there but for the Lord’s use of our resources?  How much of our Lord’s happiness do we wish to share with Him?     

     The Lord says in Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given to you.”  Sometimes, as in my experience earlier, He bestows a blessing in this life.  More commonly, it seems that He wants us to wait until we are with Him to receive His reward.  We have only a brief time here to prepare for eternity.  As Dr. David Jeremiah once noted, “We are either moving away from our investments  (on earth), or toward them ( in heaven)!”   Our Lord desires that our investment be in the right place.  He is waiting for each one of us to appear before Him and hear the words “Well done, good and faithful servant.”   

In Christ, Richard Spann                                              

  

                  

                                                          Gifts For The King

     In the past few weeks, the magazine catalogs have continued to come, sometimes five or six a day, promoting and offering different Christmas gifts from various locations around the world.  For many years, these have been my shopping outlet for Christmas.  Lacking the time and wisdom to know where to shop, I let the shopping venues come to me!   Starting in September, I perused each magazine carefully for any ideas.  I would consider things that would be of use in the house, the garden, the car, or for travel.  Was there anything that needed to be replaced?  Had any new tastes or interests developed in the last year?  What was most enjoyable?  Was any hint of a need or desire expressed which I had overlooked?  Gradually over the next several months until Christmas, I accumulated item after item and hid them in my den, wrapping them and putting them under the Christmas tree soon after Thanksgiving each year. 

     Although Bev enjoyed these gifts very much, there were other gifts that she appreciated even more.  One of these was simply the gift of my time.  I would schedule a full day off from work with no appointments at the office or hospital.  I arranged for one of my partners to take all of my calls that day.  My desire was just to be available to her.  She planned the day!  My goal was just to be with her and to be involved in the things that interested her.  Over the years we both learned to treasure the day together.  Another part of our Christmas time that gave her delight was seeing my joy at what she had given me.  She was particularly pleased when she saw that I was fully understanding and utilizing the gifts she had given to me.  The deepest part of our joy together, however, was a celebration of trust that we had given to each other many years ago.  This gift of trust in our relationship was foundational to every other gift. 

     These traditions came to a close last year, when Beverly received the gift that surpasses all gifts, the gift of being present eternally with the Lord.  My oldest daughter, Nicolle, also joined her around the throne just ten days before Christmas last year.  When the ones who have been  with you for fifty six years (Bev) and fifty one years (Nicolle) are gone, to whom then do you give Christmas gifts?  My thoughts turned to the One who will never leave you or forsake you!  He is the great I AM, the One who becomes all I need Him to be when I need Him to be all that I need.  He, the Creator and giver of all things, humbled Himself and was born a babe in a manger and received gifts from us, his creation, in the form of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  He, our Redeemer, the One who purchased eternal life for us at the cost of His own life, was the One to whom gifts were given at the first Christmas!  Although He needs no gifts, He still rejoices at what we bring to Him.  This year, I am choosing to give Him the gifts that Bev treasured the most year after year, the gifts of time, thankfulness, treasuring her gifts, and trust.     

     I have selected a day as I did with Bev, several weeks from now, which is to be a gift from me to the Lord.  I am planning to spend the entire day with Him, just the two of us together.  I am asking Him for His agenda, not mine!  It will doubtless include time with Him in His word, time together in prayer and a significant portion of time to simply wait and listen to Him.  I will wait for Him to show me what He wants me to do that day.  I call it a gift from me to Him, but it will really be His gift to Me!  “Come near to God, and he will come near to you.” (James 4:8)  

     As I would give Bev the gift of thankfulness for her gifts to me, I am planning on doing the same with the Lord this Christmas.  There is no material need that I have that He has not abundantly and exceedingly met.  “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)  This is also true regarding every spiritual need I have or will ever have!  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has  blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:3) 

     Another gift that Bev appreciated was for me to demonstrate my interest in, and use of the gifts I had been given.  Whether this was sports related or for the yard and garden maintenance, she was delighted to see me using it to its intended capacity.  Likewise, the gift that I can bring to the Lord is to receive fully the gifts He has given and allow them to be used by Him for His glory.  “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” (I Peter 4:10)   

     The greatest gift that Bev and I gave to each other not only at Christmas time but throughout the year was our unwavering trust in one another.  This, then, is the most important gift that I am giving to the Lord this year, my unwavering trust in His love for me.  It is the gift that I know will bring Him delight!   As gifts are given at Christmas, we look for delight on the faces of those to whom we give gifts.  We can tell this readily from the expression of the eyes, the smile, and the excited demeanor of the recipient of the gift.  We do not often remember that we have a Lord who waits to be delighted as well.  His delight is more real than those of our children at Christmas time!  It does not fade away as it sometimes does with others.  It is eternal.  There is nothing He cherishes more than to be delighted with us!  He tells us what brings Him this delight in Psalm 147:11, “The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”  I can bring Him delight this Christmas by simply putting my hope in his unfailing love! 

     The Lord, being in very nature Love, is governed in all He does for us and in us by His infinite love.  This love is expressed to us with His perfect knowledge and absolute control.  At any given moment in our lives, it is impossible to escape the center of His love for us!   We can, then, confidently say the following with the Apostle Paul in Romans 8:38-39,  “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”    

     At Christmas time we commonly sing songs about the cradle in the stable.  The cradle, however, was only necessary as a path to the cross.  What the Lord desires is that we join Him by faith at the cross, trusting in His atonement for our sins, so that we may be in the mighty throng in glory as we see Him receive the crown!  The joy of our presence there with Him is the reason why He came 2,000 years ago!  May this cause for celebration be with you this season and throughout the coming year!          

 In Christ, Richard Spann  

                                  

                                        We are not saved by the amount of our faith,

                                                   but by the object of our faith.  

     On September 8th,1974, famous daredevil Evel Knievel climbed into a steam-powered rocket and attempted to blast across Idaho’s Snake River Canyon.  He had carefully assessed both sides of the canyon, prepared a ramp, and arranged for a parachute to deploy to bring him to safety on the other side of the river.  He widely acclaimed his faith in this venture and was certain of its success.  Unfortunately, the parachute opened too early, leading to a crash landing in the canyon below.  Despite his great faith, he discovered that he had placed it in the wrong object.

     About this same time, my wife and I were traveling to a similar canyon called the Royal Gorge.  A bridge had been built across the canyon.  As we stepped up to the bridge, we could see a dizzying distance to the river below.  It took a great deal of persuading to entice my wife to cross the bridge.  Her faith was weak and we took very hesitating steps across the bridge and before long, we arrived in safety on the other side.  We made it to safety, not because of the amount of our faith but because of the object of our faith.  

     Our physical lives are dependent upon placing our faith in the right objects.  The spiritual nature, likewise, looks for that in which it can exercise its faith.  G. Campbell Morgan, in the Crises of the Christ, makes this statement.  “It is unthinkable and impossible that human nature should exist without a god in some form.  The most blatant infidel, denying the existence of a Supreme Being, yet worships; and where there is no other object, then man enshrines his own intellect, bows down before that, declaring that he will receive and yield to the things he can comprehend, thus making his understanding the very deity that receives his worship.  The creation of a god upon the basis of man’s knowledge of himself lies at the back of the whole story of idolatry.” Hardpress Publishing, Fifth Edition, Pages 22-23.  Over the many centuries, the evil one has induced fallen humanity to exercise great faith in many false gods.  Evel Kneivel’s misplaced faith resulted in bodily injury.  Misplaced faith in these lies of the evil one, however, result in eternal separation from God. 

     Having blinded the eyes of many to the glory of the finished work of Christ, the devil does not consider his work to be finished.  He also turns his attention to those who have placed their faith in Christ.  Although he has failed in his attempt to induce us to place our faith in false gods, the enemy of our souls now attempts to rob us of the joy we now have in our relationship with Christ.  He does this by motivating us to look at our faith rather than at the object of our faith, which is Christ.  He gives us the impression that our faith is too little to receive the blessings that are available to us from our Lord.  Although we don’t hear his audible voice, we are led to compare our faith with others and we always come up on the short end of the stick.  When we read Hebrews chapter eleven we may be led to conclude that those heroes of faith were in a different league, and that is why the Lord honored and blessed them.  He causes us to remember instances in our own life when our faith was weak.  He may pose imaginary situations in the future and then remind us that if these things were to happen to us we would never be able to handle it.  His focus is ultimately to force us to look at ourselves rather than to Christ, who is the object of our faith.    

     How much faith is necessary to follow our Lord?  The disciples sensed a lack of faith when told by the Lord that they must forgive one another seven times in one day!  Their conversation is chronicled for us in Luke 17:5-6.  “The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’”  “He replied, ‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, Be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you.’”   Even faith as small as a mustard seed will be enough!  G. Campbell Morgan interprets this passage to mean that it is the quality of our faith, not the quantity, that is important. The elements of the quality of faith that is required are illustrated for us by three different individuals in the scriptures, all of which were noted for not having a large amount of faith!  

     The first of these was the apostle Peter, who, along with other disciples was to hear this comment from the Lord.  “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?”  Mark 8:26.  He demonstrated, however, a critical quality of faith in the following passage of scripture.  “Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.’”  John 6:68-69.  His faith was one that was characterized by the abandonment of all other alternatives than faith in Him.  Psalm 20:7 states that “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.”  The chariots and horses of today include material wealth, our own training and education, political parties, other people and various philosophies to name a few.  If we, however, like Peter, have rejected other alternatives and have abandoned ourselves to Him, even with a small amount of faith, it will be enough.  

      In the Gospel of Mark we have the story of a man whose need was met not because of the amount of faith but because of the object of his faith.  It is recorded in Chapter nine that a man brought his son to Jesus, but with doubts as to the ability of the Lord to do anything.  “But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” (Mark 9:22)  He further confessed his doubts when he related “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief.”  (Mark 9:24)  He did not possess a great quantity of faith.  He did have, however, a critical quality of faith which was evidenced by the fact that he brought whatever faith he had to Jesus.  If we have sufficient faith to come to Jesus, it will be enough!  

     A third individual that the scriptures record as having little quantity of faith was Gideon.  In Judges chapter six we read the account where two times he used a wool fleece to test God’s ability to do what He had promised to do!  Yet the Lord brought him to a point where he acted based on the promise of God.  In chapter seven it is recorded that he said to the three hundred men “Watch me, follow my lead.  When I get to the edge of the camp do exactly as I do.”  This third quality of faith is an action, an activity, a response to a promise or command given.  True belief, or faith is always characterized by a response.  Romans 1:5 describes this as the “obedience of faith.”  In some cases, we are asked to do the very thing, perhaps the only thing, that we cannot do!  Such was the man in Mark 3:5 who was asked to stretch out a shriveled hand.  His faith was sufficient because he acted in response to the Lord’s command, trusting in the object of his faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, rather than in his quantity of faith.       

     Do you ever feel like your faith is not enough for the Lord to act on your behalf?  Does the thought ever cross your mind that if you just had more faith there would be restoration of a relationship, ability to get out of debt, or wisdom to know which course to take in a business venture?  We can be confident, however, that whatever faith you have that brings you to Jesus, trusting only in Him, and responsive to His command or direction will be sufficient.  We are not saved in any situation in life by the amount of our faith, but by the object of our faith, the Lord Jesus Christ.  

In Christ, Richard Spann                 

                                        The Joy of the Lord is your Strength

                                                                         Nehemiah 8:10

     Some time ago I sat down with a friend to enjoy lunch together.   After we finished eating and discussing the usual items during conversation we decided to have a short time of prayer together.  As we began to discuss these items, he leaned forward with a troubled look on his face and said “I have lost my joy.”  I could tell from his expression and the tone of his voice that his statement was heartfelt.  It was not merely a passing concern.  It reflected a deep realization of a need in his life that was not being met.  After we prayed and parted our ways I began to reflect on the meaning of joy, as well as God’s means of restoring joy in our lives.  

     Webster’s dictionary defines joy as “the emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good, gladness, or delight.”  It is also characterized by “a state of happiness or bliss.”  The scriptures have much to say about what produces the acquisition or expectation of this emotion.  It is of more than passing interest that four items mentioned in the scriptures producing joy are included in the Navigator wheel illustration!   

     The first two of these are given to us directly by our Lord.  They both have to do with our vertical dimension in life, that is, with our relationship with Him.  They were both mentioned during the walk to Gethsemane after the passover meal in the upper room.  One of these is found in John 16:24.  “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name.  Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.”  Our Lord desires to see the delight and gladness produced in our lives by answers to prayer.  By this instruction, he acknowledges the need for and benefit of joy in our lives.  He has given us prayer as one means of assuring that this need for joy is met in us. 

     A little earlier in the journey from the upper room the Lord told his disciples that they were to be beneficiaries of His joy through another source.  His words to them in John 15:11 were as follows.  “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”  The Living Word has given us the written word so that His joy may be in us and that our joy would be complete.  What a promise!  He enables us, by that promise, to come confidently to the scriptures where His joy is to be manifested in us. 

     The horizontal section of the Navigator wheel depicts our relationship with others.  In the scriptures we find that our relationships with both the lost in sin and those saved by Grace are designed to bring us joy.  Those who need to know Christ as well as those who need to know Him better are used by the Lord to produce joy in our lives.  In Psalm 126:6 we read the following.  “He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”  The joy we have in our hearts when someone comes to Christ with whom we have shared the Gospel is unforgettable.  Even the angels, scriptures say, rejoice with us!      

     The Lord has also provided another pathway by which we receive joy.  That joy is to be experienced in our relationships with other Christians.  “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.  And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.  We write this to make our joy complete.”  (I John 1:3-4)   The Lord has designed us to be one body, caring for and supporting one another.  The function of all the parts together is created to produce joy in our relationships with one another. 

     Many years ago, while working in my hospital office, I began looking at the topics of both joy and peace.  After some time in the scriptures and prayer, I was lead to the thought that ”joy is not the absence of sorrow, nor is peace the absence of problems, but both joy and peace are simply  the presence of the Lord.”  I have remembered that since.  I also recall from the sermons of G. Campbell Morgan some helpful thoughts about joy.  One of these was from a sermon on Galatians 5:22-23.  He was describing the one fruit which is love.  The other words that followed were different attributes of love.  His analysis, then, of joy was that it was the “consciousness of God’s love.”  I have found that to be helpful to me as well.  In another of his sermons Morgan made this comment.  “Our joy is in proportion to our trust in God.  To know Him is to trust Him.”  I have found over the years since reading those comments that as my knowledge of God increased, so my joy increased as well.  The most powerful message to us about joy, however, is contained in the verse which launched our consideration of joy, Nehemiah 8:10.   

     What all does the term “Joy of the Lord” imply?  In Hebrews 12:2 we are told that He endured the cross for the joy set before Him.  G. Campbell Morgan states that in Philippians 2:5-8, the consciousness of the mind of Christ was one of joy, as He demonstrated His self-sacrificial love for us.  We are not instructed to imitate or to emulate His life.  We have no capacity to do so.  We are but to receive His life, and to receive His mind that was described in Philippians 2:5-8.  We are invited to join, by His Grace, in the consciousness of His joy as His life( and ours) is poured out for others.  He is asking us to join with Him in this joy.  The ultimate joy, then, comes from our knowledge and trust we have in Him, from His presence, from the consciousness of His love for us and from our union with Him.  This joy is our birthright since we are joined to Him by the Grace of God. (I Corinthians 1:30)  This is the joy that the Lord desires for my friend who has lost his joy.  This is the joy that I have been praying that he would come to understand and receive.  This is, indeed, what our Lord desires for each one of us.  May His joy fill your hearts and minds and sustain you fully until the day when you see Him face to face.  

In Christ, Richard Spann

           

                         For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,

                        but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  

                                                                                          Mark 10:45

     The arch-enemy of our race, the devil, prefers not to come out in the open.  If the Lord had not forced him to the confrontation in the desert, he would have remained hidden.  He does not  present himself to us as a devil.  If he did, we would resist him.  His appeal to us is far more subtle.  He presents to our view options that seem to be beneficial to us.  The option of having our eyes opened, becoming like God, and knowing good and evil was attractive to Adam and Eve.  In their choice to eat the forbidden fruit, however, a new kingdom was formed on planet earth, the kingdom of self.  This kingdom has been present since that time.  We are born into that kingdom and it influences every part of our lives.  This was the kingdom that Satan initiated in his own existence when he declared the following desire.  “I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the most High.”  (Isaiah 14:14)   

     Kingdoms in Conflict is the title of a book written by Charles Colson.  All of these kingdoms are related to self.  Everyone has their own private kingdom where self reigns, and it is in conflict with everyone else’s kingdom.  The kingdom of self is present in presidents and paupers, the great and the small, the rich and the poor, the young and the old alike.  There is no tribe, tongue or culture in which we do not witness the rule of self.  It is seen most visibly in wars and acts of evil. It is present in interpersonal relationships causing anger, bitterness and marital unfaithfulness.  The more subtle forms are characterized by pride, envy, stinginess and lack of concern for others. 

     When we are born again into the Kingdom of God, Christ is imputed to us as righteousness and imparted to us as our holiness.  There remains, however, the day by day appropriation of His life.  The old patterns of living for self still need, by faith, to be dealt with by the cross.  The kingdom of self may still show up in subtle ways among Christ followers.  It may manifest itself in substituting spiritual objectives for material ones.  They appear on the surface to be beneficial, but the focus is still on self.  Some are inclined to move about from church to church, in search of the one who gives the best sermons in town.  Others participate in the services only when it is convenient to do so.  If our children’s little league has a game on Sunday (They are deliberated scheduled then!) we choose to go to the little league game instead.  Many parishioners, getting used to the on-line service, have not returned to the pews once Covid has lessened.  There is a persistent mindset in the minds of some in the church which has the viewpoint of “what is best for me.”  They want the best preachers, the best teachers and their favorite music!  This is partially defended by calling it “fulfillment” and “being blessed.“  The focus, however, is on our encouragement, our knowledge, our satisfaction and our entertainment.  In all of this, however, the focus is on our own self being served.  In contrast to this, we see the life of Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve.

     We see the service of Christ most clearly in the following passage.  “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!  (Philippians 2:5-8)   G. Campbell Morgan related that the essence of His attitude was love, His consciousness was joy, and the expression of His love was self sacrifice.  The Lord spoke on numerous occasions instructing His followers to do for others what He had done for them.  “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13:15-17)   “A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.”  (Luke 6:40)  

     As followers of Christ, we were never designed to be reservoirs, but rather channels through which His grace and life would flow.  A reservoir exists for itself.  It allows inflow but no outflow.  It is of no use to anyone downstream.  Its waters are stagnant and of no use.  In John 7:38, the Lord did not say that “Whoever believes in me will be a lake or reservoir!”. He said “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”  These streams are meant for others!  Our lives are measured not by what they contain, but by what they dispense.  We should read it through, pray it in, live it out and pass it on.  If we are not a channel, then we are a bottle neck of obstruction to His grace.  

     In his book, My Utmost For His Highest, Oswald Chambers has these comments in regard to John 7:38.  “Jesus did not say—‘he that believeth in Me shall realize the blessing of the fulness of God,’ but—‘he that believeth in Me out of him shall escape everything he receives.’  Our Lord’s teaching is always anti-self-realization.  His purpose is not the development of a man; His purpose is to make a man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is self-expenditure.  If we believe in Jesus, it is not what we gain, but what He pours through us that counts.  It is not that God makes us beautiful rounded grapes, but that He squeezes the sweetness out of us.  Spiritually, we cannot measure our life by success, but only by what God pours through us, and we cannot measure that at all.  ‘He that believeth in Me out of him shall flow rivers of living water’—hundreds of other lives will be continually refreshed.  It is time now to break the life, to cease craving for satisfaction, and to spill the thing out.  Our Lord is asking who of us will do it for Him?”  

In Christ, Richard Spann          

                                                               Motivation

     Webster’s dictionary describes motive as “any emotion or desire operating on one’s will and driving it to action.”  No one wills anything without a prior cause.  This is true of all our actions, our speech, and our decisions every day.  Our will responds to motivations which may come from many sources.  The Lord, who created us with this will, also uses motivation to guide us in our walk with Him.  Years ago, a Navigator speaker, whose name I cannot recall, listed the motivations that the Lord uses in our lives.  I have found these to be beneficial over the years and trust that they will be helpful to you as well.  There are nine in number and are found in II Corinthians.  

     II Corinthians 5:1-9 describes a motivation based on the knowledge of our future dwelling place with the Lord.  At the moment we take our last breath we enter into an eternal house in heaven!  We are assured of this because the Holy Spirit is given to us as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.  The certainty of our eternal destination is a powerful motivation for us as we labor with Him for the lost.  

     II Corinthians 5:10, a motivation by judgment, reminds us that the Lord takes careful note of our entire lives, remembering all that He has done through our lives as we have relied, by faith, on His Spirit to work through us.  Nothing that He has done through us is overlooked.  The judgment seat is a seat of rewards!  Our sin was judged at the cross and is remembered no more.  The motivation of judgment encourages us as we labor in anticipation of receiving our praise from Him!  

     II Corinthians 5:11 refers to the fear of God as a motivation to serve, to worship, to love and to trust Him.  It is not characterized by being fearful, but rather a worshipful awe, respect, and wonder because of who He is.  Our hearts should be stirred to please Him with all of our thoughts, words and deeds.     

     II Corinthians 5:13 introduces the motive of unselfishness which we also find in the life of our Lord Jesus.  “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.”  (II Corinthians 8:9)  Here in II Corinthians 5, Paul states that he is willing to let others think less of him so that they might come to Christ.  He refers to this in II Corinthians 4:12 as well,  “So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.”  

     II Corinthians 5:14-15 describes the motive of love, “For the love which Christ has for me presses on me from all sides, holding me to one end, and prohibiting me from considering any other, wrapping itself around me in tenderness, giving me an impelling motive.”  (II Corinthians 5:14 Wuest )  This is none other than the love of Christ, which is given to us as a birthright when we trust in Him as our Savior and Lord.  His love for us, for Him, and for others is poured out into our hearts. (Romans 5:5) 

     II Corinthians 5:16-17 reminds us that we are motivated by regeneration.  Because of the change in us, we see people differently.  We have a new sense of their worth to God.  We are motivated by their value in the eyes of our Lord to both love them and to serve them.    

     II Corinthians 5:18-21 relates to us that we are motivated by reconciliation.  God has made possible the non-imputation of sin and the imputation of righteousness.  The news that each one we meet can be fully reconciled to God through belief in His righteousness as a gift to them is a powerful motivation in our lives.    

  

     II Corinthians 6:1-2 impresses us that time is a powerful motivation in our relationship with others.  The guarantee of more time is not given to anyone.  “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” (II Corinthians 6:2b)

     II Corinthians 6:3-10 lists the sufferings Paul endured and mentions them as motivations to continue to be faithful in service to the Lord.  He refers to those again in Philippians 3:10.  “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”  He also refers to these in Colossians 1:24,  “Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, which is the church.”  

 

     The above list of motivations all have a similar goal, which is to enable us to be productive  in the Lord’s ministry.  This ministry, which He has given to us, is described in II Corinthians 2:14 -II Corinthians 6:13.  In this section of scripture we are called “ministers of a new covenant.” ( II Cor. 3:6)  It is in this passage that we are introduced to “the ministry of the Spirit” in II Cor. 3:8, the “ministry that brings righteousness,” (II Cor. 3:9) and the “ministry of reconciliation.” (II Cor. 5:18)  The new covenant is the ministry of the Spirit through us that brings righteousness and reconciliation to many others.  It is my prayer that the Lord will use these motivations richly in your lives to both increase and multiply His eternal harvest!  

In Christ, Richard Spann