Beware of looking to Your own Interests

Isaiah 1:4-6

“Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly!  They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.  Why will you still be struck down?  Why will you continue to rebel?  The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.  From the sole of the foot even to the head, here is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.”

Read the Scripture above once more, what is the Holy Spirit speaking into your mind and heart, are we not that nation, an are we not that people?  Have we not been instructed by the apostle Peter, “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17)  You and I are told often that God is love, and we would be wise to enter into His love, but it is only one of His attributes, He is also just and holy and righteous, and those attributes require His judgment. 

Do you recall who came out to John the Baptist?  It was the big guys; the leaders of the Jews, the Pharisees and Sadducees, coming for baptism.  And this is what John said to them; “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:7-10, ESV)  As a person who attends church, maybe you’re the big guy, the pastor, deacon, a teacher, or just a pew sitter, what would John be saying to you?  God has never looked to your flesh to obey His commands, but that was what these Pharisees and Sadducees were attempting to accomplish; however God is looking for His children to be broken, to have a broken and contrite heart.

You will recall how often the children of Israel ran to Egypt for help, and Egypt is the flesh, it places faith in anything other than God.  The prophet Isaiah has this word for all who rely on their flesh; “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord!” (Isaiah 31:1, ESV)  Before you dismiss this Scripture as not for you, what is your flesh running to, your skill set, your education, your ability to make money, or maybe it’s money, or even the nation you live in and it’s vast military; who or what do you run to?

We in the Church would be wise to listen and act on the prophets words; “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.”  For once again we find our world in this position, every person looks to his own interests and does what is right in his own eyes, with no regard for God.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Are you as smart as the Ox and donkey?

Isaiah 1:2-3

“Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.  The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”

Many of us have watched the commercial on television of the person asking what does your broker say, and the other person states, my broker is E.F. Hutton and everyone in ear shot listens to what the person is going to say.  The commercial states; when E.F. Hutton talks, people listen, but often when God speaks His children do not listen, so who is listening when God speaks?  We are told that the heavens and all who dwell there listen and the earth also listens, but God’s children did not.  The Lord makes clear that animals such as ox and donkey’s obey, and you do understand how stubborn a donkey can be.  But Israel or Judah is deaf to God’s voice and precepts, and God is going to put them on trial.

Is this something new?  God calling heaven and earth as His witnesses against all who forsake His promises, and the answer is no.  “Moses understood that human beings were not qualified to certify the durability and reliability of God’s promises, and since no other gods exist to serve as witnesses, Moses invoked heaven and earth to serve that function (30:19; 31:28).” (Holman Study Bible page 293) I believe that a word spoken to the wise is sufficient, so ponder the words of Moses: “For I must die in this land; I must not go over the Jordan. But you shall go over and take possession of that good land. Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

“When you father children and children's children, and have grown old in the land, if you act corruptly by making a carved image in the form of anything, and by doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, so as to provoke him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess. You will not live long in it, but will be utterly destroyed.” (Deuteronomy 4:22-26, ESV)
Some of the last words of Moses before he handed off the leadership to Joshua are found in Deuteronomy 30:19-20, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”
As we ponder the verses above, is God calling the heavens and earth as His witnesses against His church?  Are you and I smarter than the ox God refers to who knows his master, and the donkey that knows where its food comes from?
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice

 

 

 

The Vision

Isaiah 1:1

“The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”

In the introduction, we looked at Isaiah’s calling and made the statement that Isaiah was more of a volunteer, for he overheard the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then Isaiah said, “Here am I!  Send me.”  And the Lord said, “Go, and say to this people:” and we will look at what he was to say at another time.

As we read and explore this wonderful book and the man God picked to record His Words for all of us, it might be helpful to review some fundamentals of Scripture.  First and foremost is Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”  I’ve been taught about time dimensions and it is very interesting, but the bottom line is no matter how many dimensions there are, they do not control God.  As we view the fundamentals, God created all things for His purpose, including time.  Have you given thought to faith and its relationship to time, it requires time dimensions?  My friend Bill Gilham taught me the following; “When faith is no longer needed, time will cease to be.”  I also learned from Bill that God is not controlled by His creation; He is not time-dimensional, but you and I are time-dimensional beings.  Bill would often use this example: “God is like a man in a helicopter viewing everything (including your life) as present tense.  God knows everything and sees forever into both the past and the present.  Christ’s life is eternal, extending forever into what you call the future, and forever into what you call the past.”

Now as we look into these visions shown to Isaiah by God, does that information from Bill help you understand the prophet’s ability to declare insights that will take place years after the prophet has left planet earth?  The apostle Peter wanted to make sure we understood how and where we get prophecy; “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21, ESV)

A great example of this is Isaiah sharing with us 698 years before Christ showed up on planet earth these insights: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace here will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7, ESV)

Be very careful with the scholars who seem to remove Genesis 1:1 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 from their understanding of the Scriptures, for it is such that contest Isaiah’s authorship of chapters 40-66.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Isaiah Introduction

Isaiah

Introduction

Isaiah, son of Amoz lived in Jerusalem and prophesied during the reign of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah.  Isaiah prophesied about this time line, 740-698 BC and is considered by many to be the greatest of the Old Testament prophets.  His central teaching was “Hope through repentance and suffering.”  But we should not forget that God also called others, Elisha who lived around 855-800 BC whose central theme was  “God’s miraculous power” and Jonah whose message came about 786-746 BC and the central thought was “God’s universal concern.”  Then came Hosea around 786-746 with this message “God’s unquenchable love” and the next prophet was Amos who prophesied around 760-750 BC with this message, “God’s call for justice and righteousness.” 

The Holman Study Bible gives this insight in the introduction to Isaiah; “One can never read or study the book without having new insights into the nature of God and our relationship with him.  The authors of the New Testament read the book of Isaiah in light of the coming of Christ and realized that this prophet anticipated Messiah’s coming with remarkable clarity.  For this reason they quoted Isaiah more than any other Old Testament book.”

You may have wondered, where did Isaiah the son of Amoz get his call to be a prophet of God, if so you will find it in the sixth chapter, and beginning in verse one, we are told it came in the last year of King Uzziah’s life, and Isaiah reports that he saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple.  “And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:5-7, ESV) 

Isaiah may have been the first volunteer and by doing so was called into the service of God as His mouthpiece to the Jewish nation.  This is what happened; “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’ Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” (Isaiah 6:8-10, ESV)

Isaiah was fine with the assignment but he wanted a time line from God on the length of the obligation, and this is God’s reply; “Then I said, “How long, O Lord?” And he said: “Until cities lie waste without inhabitant, and houses without people, and the land is a desolate waste, and the Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.  And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.” The holy seed is its stump.” (Isaiah 6:11-13, ESV)

I am looking forward to this study, and my heart’s desire is that you and I come away with new insights into the nature of our great and holy God, and our relationship with Him.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Examine your teachers

Galatians 6:12-16

“It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:12-16, ESV)

We often go to Galatians 2:14 where Paul is taking a stand against Peter’s action in the flesh, acting one way before (“certain men” came from Jerusalem who taught that Gentile believers needed to be circumcised and maintain Old Testament dietary laws in order to be accepted by God.) (From page 1615 HCSB)  These people were given a name, Judaizers, they being Jews who wanted the Gentiles who were converted to Christianity to follow the law; it was a Jesus plus teaching to gain God’s acceptance.

These false teachers are addressed often in the Scriptures by the apostle Paul, and he warns you and me in 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, about how the serpent deceived Eve, and it was a mind attack, and he has not changed his game plan of seduction, his end game is to steal your devotion to Christ.  Paul warns about someone coming with another Jesus, or you receive a different spirit, or a different gospel.  He goes on in verses 13-15, with this insight, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.”

We, the followers of Christ in 2014, would be wise to examine our teachers by the written and living Word of God.  I enjoy studying from the English Standard Version, but I often will check it against the New American Standard, or the New King James, and ask my teacher the Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth, that is why Jesus sent Him as our Helper.  The one, the apostle John tells us about in John 10:10 has come to steal, kill and destroy, is very active in the culture of todays church.  So examine your teachers, your pastor or priest to make sure what is being taught is in line with Scripture.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

What value is the one who shares their Spiritual Life with Youi

Galatians 6:6-10

“Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. 

(Galatians 6:6-10, ESV)”

Because you are a follower of Christ, and since you received the free gift of life in the now, do you not have a desire to do good to the household of faith?  The question some may be wondering is the teacher entitled to your good things?  My neighbor Phil who is a “techie” person, who is competent in technology, was at our house at my request.  I was converting 35 slides to my computer and had forgotten what Phil had shown me two months ago.  So he was once again taking time out of his schedule to instruct me, and did I tell you that Phil likes chocolate in most forms, and as he was leaving Jan gives him my best, my favorite Lindt chocolate candy, and some fresh made chocolate chip cookies, that is after he had robbed the candy jar of some snickers.  In jest I said, Jan, Phil has his hands full of snickers candy you do not have to give him the good stuff.  Phil’s reply was golden, he turned to me an ask, and “Do you want cheap instruction or the best?”

When you, as a follow of Christ, go for spiritual instruction what value are you putting on the one who is sharing his life with you, are you looking for value, or is the cut-rate, the discounted teaching your desire?  The apostle Paul told the church in Corinth the following; “If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?” (1 Corinthians 9:11) Paul does not stop but goes on to explain the employees in the temple get their food from the temple and the one at the alter share in the sacrificial offering.  Then Paul makes this statement; “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:14) 

The reason we are ask to examine ourselves is that small gods take hold of us, gods who have no authority, but they keep our focus on us and away from God.  As a member of the body of Christ, His church, should we not look with joy at being a doer of the word and not a hearer?  “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Deceptive Channel

Galatians 6:3-5

“For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.”

My dear friend Bob the barber would often say in jest, “I do not have to worry about being a has-been, because I’m a never was.”  Now the statement was far from being true, for he was very successful.  But for years I took that statement to heart, not about my barber, but about myself.  You remember Channel One, the deceptive channel controlled by the one Jesus talks about in John 10:10, that voice that sounded like my own would often tell me I was of no worth, was a poser and a failure, as a man, husband, and it would be how I was remembered.

I must say that voice drove me to work harder than others with greater talents, for I needed to be of worth, but it often reminded me that any moment someone with a better education and skill set would be my replacement.  This happen for the first three years of my 3M employment, and then one day, a very bad day, no sales for most of the month, I heard from Channel Two, the Spirit of Truth, and it told me I was of great worth, and that God had gifted me in the area of sales.  I listened to that message over and over, and accepted it as true, for it was, I was no longer a never was but a somebody, with the gift of selling.

But then another area I was not prepared for happened, Channel One began to tell me I was the best, and in came pride, and pride will blind you to many sins.  If only my pride would have let me share this with one of my brothers in Christ, maybe they would have directed me to Isaiah 5:21, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight.”  And they may have asked me to give thought to 1 Corinthians 3:18-21, “Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,” (1 Corinthians 3:18-21, ESV) If you skip down to verse 22b-23, it reads; “all are yours, and you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.”

I’m now in my seventy’s and have been in Christ for 44 years, but for much of that I had no grasp of what it meant to have Christ as my life.  I am learning to examine myself, as instructed in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves.  Or do you not realize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Restore them in a spirit of Gentleness

Galatians 6:1-5

In the Life Essentials Study Bible Gene Getz gives this insight on the flesh.  In the Galatian churches there were serious problems of bondage to the flesh.  “There were believers who were still in bondage to the flesh.  To be “caught” (6:1) does not refer to being discovered, but to being overtaken and entangled or trapped.  Today we often classify these behaviors as addictions.” (page 1621)

It seems we should examine these verses more thoroughly; “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2)  Paul is using the plural you, and we would be very wise to adopt this game plan when working with a brother or sister who is in bondage to their form of flesh.  We should as followers of Christ pay close attention to this instruction in Romans 15:1,  “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” We are instructed in 1 Thessalonians 5:14, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.”  If you take this on in the Spirit, it is going to be hard, it’s going to take time, but if you attempt this in the flesh, it’s going to be a disaster.  And that is why the Spirit is using the plural and not the singular, others who are walking in the Spirit will be needed to support, admonish, and encourage you in this task.

It would be wise of us to pay careful attention to these words; “Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”  Gene Getz gives this insight, “This is because the process is difficult, and also because even godly Christians who have been entrapped in certain sins in the past can be tempted to fall back into their previous addictions.” (page 1621)  Many unwise men have been taken captive by not following God’s instruction on letting the older woman in the faith council the younger woman, and in the same way a woman should never attempt to council a man, it is outside of what God has instructed, and we have seen the results. 

Shall we look into the latter part of verse two: “Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”  If service is not part of your life, and yes, I am talking about keeping the house, mowing the grass, taking out the trash, and fixing dinner for the family, and doing it with a heart attitude of love.  Now it is more than just doing for family, but that is a big part of it, and it should flow to our neighbors, at work, and in the market place.  If we go back to Galatians 5:14, we find the meaning of the verse above; “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

The longer I live the more I grasp how my particular form of the flesh gets out of control, for I have flesh that is insecure, wants to be noticed, and desires to be first, and the battle to make it submit to the Spirit is on going.  It is not going to get better that is unless I die to it’s desires, and walk in the Spirit, then my life will be free to love my neighbor as myself.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

A young man's story

Galatians 6:1

“Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.”

Have you ever been caught in any transgression, now the question is not have you transgressed, for the Scripture is clear; “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23) the question is have you been caught?  Before you reply, has there been a time when you were disobedient to your parents, teachers, bosses, or even to your own moral standards, and you got caught?  Has there been a time of indiscretion in your relationships with your mate, the partner you vowed to honor till death parted you?  Have you been caught in wrongdoing in your business life, and if so, how did your brothers and sisters in Christ restore you?  Maybe you were not restored, in fact you may have ran from your family both at church and at home, because you were full of pride, and yet time has passed and you need someone to restore you.  In fact, maybe you did not get caught, but have a flesh pattern that is isolating you from God and your family and friends in Christ.

I knew a young man new in the faith, he was excited about being a new creation in Christ, but had no understanding of what that meant.  In his enthusiasm he was eager to do great things for God, having no understanding that it was God who wanted to do great things through him.  So in his exhilaration he began to teach teenagers at his church the deeper things of God, but he had one big problem, he was teaching or talking about areas of life in which he had no understanding.  It was amazing as I recall how God used this young man and his wife to increase the class both in number and in spiritual growth.  It was not long before one of his mentors ask him to lead out in a movement outside of his church called the “Lay Witness Mission” it began with a vision from a man named Ben Campbell Johnson, to the Methodist church, and God blessed it and this young man.  His mentor had modeled a transparency and a dependence about asking God to open the hearts of both the team that would go to the church and the church they would go to for a weekend of watching God do great things through sharing their faith.  Once more, God was blessing the willingness of this young man, and others were taking notice of what God was doing.

It was not long before he was ask to serve as a deacon in his church, but God was not in this, and God made it clear to this young man not to accept the responsibility, but the young man was also listening to other voices, the voice of men, and the voice in his mind that sounded like his own voice; he would learn much later it was the deceptive channel of the enemy of his soul.  The young man began to become judgmental, and over time very prideful, and he tuned to the deceptive channel more and more for it was telling him what he wanted to hear.

If you had ask this young man if he was walking in the Spirit, he would have said I hope so, but in his heart he knew that was not true.  He began to believe that his wife was not up to the task of leading others in the lay movement, and began to ask more qualified ladies to work with him.  This backfired, and it was not long before indiscretion in his relationships was discovered, and this young man’s pride would not let anyone near him.  But God, I find so much pleasure in those two words.  Yes, Jesus’ Spirit who lived in this young man had not given up on him, and his wife had not given up on him, and a man who had been drawn to Christ under the young man’s testimony, was used of God to restore him in a spirit of gentleness.  I am that young man!

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Choices - We all have them

Galatians 5:18-25

You will find a short list of acts of the flesh in verses 19-21, acts like sexual immorality, and idolatry are referenced in the list along with jealousy, fits of anger, dissensions and divisions.  But I hope you are not forgetting what was written yesterday, that walking by the flesh is not just doing bad things.  I will use Bill’s words; “What it is: depending on yourself and your own abilities to get your needs met apart from Christ.  The cardinal sin of man is independence from God.” 

As we explore the fruits of the Spirit, it is very revealing in my life there are areas of life that I am short of the finish line, what about your life?  So lets look into the “Fruits of the Spirit” what are they, and are you walking in them?  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)  If you are looking for a benchmark on how you are doing in walking by the Spirit, this is it, but make sure you are not deceiving yourself.  Remember, “God is love.  You were created by God to be loved unconditionally.  Only God loves unconditionally, therefore you need God.”  It is easier to love those who love you, but Jesus who is our life will give us the ability to love those who can add nothing to our lives, and even those who detest us for being a follower of Christ.  Love covers all wrongs!  In 1 Peter 4:8, we find these words; “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

I’ve found this to be true in my life, when I’m allowing Jesus to live His life in me joy and peace are my friend, but when I allow the flesh to grab any part of my mind, the enemy steals my joy and peace.  If you ask my wife she would tell you that Bob does better out of traffic, he seems to fall short in the patience area, yet Jesus who is Bob’s life has never lost control on the highways of this life.  So why does that happen, it’s a very simple answer; I’ve not predetermined my actions before getting behind the wheel.  I’m allowing the flesh to steal my joy and my peace, and it may be happening to you also in others areas of life, like politics.  It may require you to not open some e-mails, not listen to some radio talk shows, and set your heart on trusting God for the moment, for that is all you have.

It has become clear in my short life on planet earth that we have choices, and we can choose to allow Jesus to do it all for us, or we can choose to live by the flesh, and be filled with strife, but then we lose joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Do you recall Point 3) each of you showed up on planet earth with the need to be loved (Point 1).  Instead of getting your needs met God’s way (Point 2), you developed your own ways of getting your needs met.  This is what the Bible labels as “flesh.” 

Because Jesus tells the truth, we need to allow verses 24-25, to set a new course for us: “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

Conflict

Galatians 5:16-17

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.”

It is my personal belief that we do not understand what the Spirit of the Living God is telling us through the apostle Paul, for who would not please God if they knew how to do so?  That is, unless more is going on than we grasp, but this I believe with all my heart, when you and I entered into Christ something got Crucified.  Now if that did not happen, close your Bible and pick up some other book to find your way to live life on planet earth.  For it is written, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  (Galatians 2:20)   We know that when they crucified someone they died, and God is telling us that when we entered into Christ something died, and that something was the old man, the sin nature.  But the flesh is still very much alive, and the flesh has been programed from birth to get its needs met outside of Christ.  So you are a new Creation with flesh that has an appetite for the world and the things of the world.  My friend Bill Gillham would often say these words; “Have you discovered that the Christian life is not difficult to live?  It’s impossible!  Jesus Christ is the only one who has ever really lived the Christian life, and He is the only one who can live it today . . . and that is what He wants to do in you and through you!”

Bill and Anabel who have a total understanding of these truths today, for they are in the presence of our Lord, enjoying the fullness of worship with the others who have gone to the Father.  These two taught many of us about the two ways for a Christian to walk in this world: According to the flesh, and in the Spirit, and walking by the flesh is not just doing bad things.  I will use Bill’s words; “What it is: depending on yourself and your own abilities to get your needs met apart from Christ.  The cardinal sin of man is independence from God.”  And what about walking in the Spirit!   “What it is not: religious activity.  What it is: allowing Jesus to live His life through you.”

Bill was a great teacher and communicator and he would use these three points to help us understand what the Bible calls flesh.  “Point 1) God is love.  You were created by God to be loved unconditionally.  Only God loves unconditionally, therefore you need God.  Point 2) God created laws (ways) to govern the universe.  All of His ways are good.  Point 3) each of you showed up on planet earth with the need to be loved (Point 1).  Instead of getting your needs met God’s way (Point 2), you developed your own ways of getting your needs met.  This is what the Bible calls “flesh.”

Do you recall that Paul began chapter 5 talking about freedom and how we have been set free from the control of sin?  Each day, many times a day, we choose to sin or not to sin, each day we choose to believe Jesus tells the truth, or to listen to the deceptive channel I call number One, and buy into how to get our needs met outside of Christ, who is our life.  A Key Concept Bill taught on the flesh: “God has no plan to make something beautiful of your life (in Adam).  The plan is to kill it and start over again. 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice
http://fromourbackporch.blogspot.com/

How Culture Effect our Life

Galatians 5:13-15

“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”

My pastor made a statement last week that went something like this: Our culture is always changing and we cannot allow it to control us as followers of Christ.  I’ve often heard and agree with so many who believe we who grew-up in the 40’s and 50’s have lived in the best of times, but we have seen many changes in our culture.

So as followers of Christ can we look back into our history and get a snapshot of how the culture has affected our freedom, and how the flesh, left to the cravings of the culture, will end in loss of peace and joy that we have in Christ.  I remember when television came into our home we watched the tube, and at first we talked about what we saw and heard, but it was not long until we stopped talking and had less time for conversation.  Today, our homes are much larger than the 900 sq. ft. where I grew-up, and we are more isolated from each other.  Many families no longer have meals together, those were always a very special time in our home, where we were reminded that all we had was a blessing from our Lord and we gave thanks to Him.

And in the early 1960’s, we began to control the size of our family with birth control.  We were sold a bill of goods that small families would give us more time and greater attention for our children.  It was a way to put self in control over God’s best; it is called independent living, and is one of the goals of the flesh.  At the point of entering into two major wars, many of our women entered the work force outside of the home.  As the men came back from those wars, many a woman stayed in the work force, it allowed for greater financial freedom, and yet it came with a down side; the husband was no longer the bread winner and lost the status of protector and provider.  We saw the increase of divorce, single parent mothers, with the child being raised by someone other that the parents. 

How has these cultural changes had an affect on the family and marriage, the following is from pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.? 

 Christian divorce rates have surpassed the general public! Christians have fallen for the culture’s mantra that personal fulfillment is more important than marriage vows.

 • “God wants me happy” has replaced “God wants me to be obedient and faithful to His Word”.

As a follower of Christ we must look not to the culture but to the Bible, for it is our handbook on living life on planet earth.  The culture is trying to mold you into living independently from the authority of the Bible, and the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  If you are in Christ, look only to Him and His word for your direction.  “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice