Knowledge Puffs Up

Knowledge is so wonderful and necessary in “our daily world.”

• What we know that’s “correct” (There is a God)
• What we know that’s “incorrect” (He’s just like us / see Rom 12:2) “..The pattern of this world!”)
• What we don’t know (He “sees and relates” to all of creation in light of His Son’s life, death, and resurrection / see Rom 12:1 “..in view of God’s mercy” The Gospel! )
• What we think we know (How He “sees” us)
• What we “know” God requires of us / just watch how we live!

All of our “performance based acceptance” lives in this world hinges on knowledge. Someone has said… “. Its not what we don’t know that hurts us, but what we “know that’s wrong”. Relative to our heavenly Father, what we know that’s wrong comes from our own “idolatry” fed and nourished by the world, the flesh, and the devil. We live out our knowledge.

Our “knowledge” determines our beliefs, our core values, and our habits that are the sum total of our character are shaped by our knowledge. What we “know” is our “DNA”!
If this “knowledge” is from the world and our flesh, we live a life that’s selfish and bear little or no fruit. If, on the other hand, this “knowledge” is being updated and corrected with things added and things deleted based on the work of the Word IN our minds, we bear fruit, more fruit, or much fruit, per Jesus’ statement.

This “belief transformation” is called the process of sanctification. Paul summarized it all in Romans 12: 1,2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God… this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the patter of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what’s God’s will is…his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (NIV)

“What we think God requires of us!” We think that “knowing” is all God requires.
First, the N.T. / James “..Be you doers of the Word, and not “hearers only” that’s about as clear as anything God ever said, right?

O.T. Ez 33:21-29 (read these verses) Note esp. vs 24 “ …the people living in those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But WE are many surely the land has been given to us as our possession.” (Now, this is all in light of “ what we know God requires of us”

O.T. Ez 33:21-29 (read these verses) Note esp. vs 24 “ …the people living in those ruins in the land of Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he possessed the land. But WE are many surely the land has been given to us as our possession.” (Now, this is all in light of “ what we know God requires of us”

Now, Ez 33: 30-32:

“As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you and the walls and tat the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’
Vs31: My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.
Vs32: Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.”

They simply “thought” that all they had to “do” was “go to church” and express with their mouths their devotion, that’s all!

Now, there are an infinite number of paths to go down with this issue. But, let’s stick to the title: “Knowledge puffs up”!! Knowledge that “puffs up” is that knowledge that has no trust and obedience follow-up! Puffs up? Mmmm? Swelling? Hidden problem?
Infection maybe? Yep, all these things! We don’t even know that we’re “puffed up”! But…brace yoself…God knows it! You gotta be kidding!

That’s called “self-deception” and we are alllllll there, in one form or another. The cure for this involves 4 things:

• Regular “study of God’s Word” (Truth transforms our minds)
• Regular time spent in deliberate prayer and
• Regular time of quiet thinking, meditating on what we read / prayer and meditation do more to “reveal and weaken” our indwelling sin / self-deception than anything else / Reading and studying God’s Word is the “hearing” and these two are part of the “doing” required
• Regular time of loving accountability with truly spiritual friends who are doing the same things and “love you” enough to challenge you in “hearing and doing”

Folks, this all begins with the hearing, understanding, and walking out the Claims of Christ upon our lives implicit in His great substitutionary life, death, and resurrection!

Father, search my heart today. Know my thoughts. Cleanse me. And lead me into the way everlasting. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart of listening and understanding.
In Jesus’ great Name and for His glory,
Amen!

Jerry
Col 1:18b “...that in all things, Christ might have the supremacy!”

Is He Worthy or Just Useful

I’m Praying for you today that the Lord Jesus will hear your heart's cry, even without words or the time to really think or articulate your desires...
He loves you enough to continue listening when you are too swamped to talk...
His love and desires FOR you are constant and Jesus said that "your purpose" is to bear "fruit" much fruit and fruit that remains...

My prayer for you all is that the Spirit will give you eyes to see exactly what He wants for you and from you and in this "light" your heart (your mind, will, affections, reason, and understanding) will be single in desire for Him and His will and His purpose and intent for you as you walk out your life on the mountain, and in Charlotte where He has placed you.

If our "heart's desire is to glorify the Father with "fruit" then we will hear the "clicking" of the pruning shears and the Father will take away "anything we don't need" and in this process the "light" of His Word and Words can get through the "unnecessary leaves and twigs" that are blocking the light so needed for "fruit bearing."

In prayer the Spirit will reveal to us what He wants to remove and it is ours to cooperate, regardless! I so want increased "sensitivity" and a "listening heart" and a desire to trust and obey Him when I hear and see what He is saying and what He wants to remove from my life and my thinking and my desires and the things I "think" I need!!

The Writer to the Hebrews lists three levels of correction: rebuke, chastening, scourging and says that we must not "despise" this because the process will fall out into the "peaceable fruit of righteousness"...in Heb 12:10b (and remember that the writer said “..and he scourges every son He receives”) "...but God disciplines us for our good that we may share in His holiness."

• If "discipline" is about God removing sin in and from us,
• Then "pruning" is about God removing "self" from us in our daily walk with him.

• If Christ is the Vine and we are the branches and if His life flows into us and produces His life In us: Fruit for the Father,
• Then "fruit that glorifies the Father is all about the forming of Christ-like Character IN us: Christ-like Character is nothing but the "fruit of the Spirit" formed and expressed outwardly from within.

Jesus said that when this process is happening, the Father is honored and glorified and "others will see that we are His disciples." It’s “painfully clear” what the opposite of this “vine-life” is!! The fruit: Selfishness! Others see that as well!

I weep over the "fruit" of my "self-life" and the sin/sins it produces; I rejoice over the fruit of the "Christ-life" In me and the righteousness and Holiness it produces. The grapevine, like the flesh, always tends to grow "downward" where the "dirt" and "sin" is; the Father is all about keeping us "up" and out of the dirt! The grapevine is all about wood and leaves; the Father is all about fruit! Wood, leaves, downward is all self! God's work is to "hide pride from me and to deliver me from my own ways/proclivities, flesh!" “Prone to wander (downward), prone to leave the God I love” (more correct: The God who loves me!)

What if I am truly saved, yet I don't even know of God's intent and purpose for my life? Never discipled! What would then be my proclivity? A life of self-willed thinking and acting.

How then can or could I ever understand the things that happen to me and for me: the world, circumstances, suffering, sin, evil, etc., etc., would I ever know that my selfish life of "Christian service" is only wood and leaves? Would my flesh ever “repent” and admit that it had deceived me and that I am not really producing the fruit God desires? Not gonna happen!

...My enemy, my "self-life" and its deception will certainly define for me exactly who God is and what He's doing...what is happening and why it's happening to me... and the lies will form a set of core beliefs, core values, responses and choices ("conformed to this world") that will be as far from the "fruit" that Jesus speaks of as evil is from the Father!! I'll simply go about my "Christian walk" as I want to...I'll serve the god of my own making...I'll never truly "serve God" but I will certainly "serve God's purposes" just as Joab did...never loved God and serve Him but certainly used God and God's word to serve himself and his agenda. My “carnal self” is a good friend of the “unbeliever Joab!” I see my flesh in Joab!

David: "Thou, oh Lord, art Worthy!" The fruit of the Spirit!

Joab: "Thou, oh Lord, art Useful!" The fruit of the Self!

Jerry
Col 1:18b “...that in all things, Christ might have the supremacy!”

Pruning our "fruit" for "more fruit"!

Dearest friends and family,

We live in a world “geared against God”. We so need our hearts prepared. Remember well, our “Heart” is the combined faculties of our mind, our will, our affections, our reason, and our understanding! to “serve God with our whole heart” must include all these faculties; to leave out one of these would not be “whole hearted” devotion or service.

We need our daily lives guarded and regulated by God’s Word

Jesus said that if we’d spend time daily with him, read, learn know, and apply His Word and Words to our daily lives, we’d bear “fruit” for His Father. This Fruit is first inward then outward. Inward fruit is realized as we see Christ-like Character and characteristics slowly being formed in our day to day life.

Inward transformation will naturally lead to outward manifestation.

Over the past few months I’ve been studying John 15 and in prayer I’ve been asking the Lord to reveal to me some truths and insight into this process of bearing fruit, of pruning, and more fruit “for the Father.” I believe the Spirit has done just this and I have a beautiful example of the “pruning process” that happened to me this past week.

You all know of my precious Charlotte’s life-struggle with Parkinson’s. You may not know, however, how the Lord has welded my mind and heart to her and for her. I love her deeply and serve her as best I can. Many times I’ve served her in selfishness, doing things “for her” when in reality it’s been “for me.” I’ve done “for her” as I want to do rather that as she needs and desires, and she gets upset. She’s told me many times to stop this and offer an apology, and then I continue doing the same thing.

In one of these usual selfish gestures of service the other day, she said no thank you, I asked again, then she “fired back” at me and said...”...why can’t you just accept it when I say I’m ok...I can do it, etc, etc...” Now, I responded in gentleness and apologized sincerely...she accepted my apology and we moved on. I was troubled in my spirit over the rest of the evening and went to bed not comfortable in my mind. The next morning in my time with Him, here’s what happened.

In prayer and meditation, I did not sense or hear “condemnation”...I heard clearly that the Father was pleased with me when my love and service is “unselfish.” These are times when the “fruit” of my caregiving for my dear Charlotte is void of selfishness, and I’m led by the spirit to do for her “in the Father’s best interest for her,” and my mess is not mixed up in it. True fruit from our Vine Jesus’ life will be void of selfishness.

I could hear the voice of the Spirit saying that the Father was going to “Prune” this area for “more fruit”.....the Spirit clearly and with impact revealed my “selfishness” in my “service”....I saw what Charlotte has been saying to me very clear...when the Spirit revealed the ugly “selfishness” in what I was calling “unselfish caregiving” I was at first convicted and then encouraged. When the Father sees “fruit” in my life, He’s then going after it and will prune if for “more fruit” and this can only mean one thing...prune out the admixture of my flesh and selfishness.

Dear friends, I believe that this is the desired process and always has been....he wants our hearts, not our service first! The doing and serving is proper and is acceptable “if our hearts are pure in motives.” Christ the Vine and His life flowing into us daily, many times daily if possible, will purify our actions. Christ’s life flowing INTO us will express itself in "Christ-like character and characteristics.

These “inner qualities” are simply the “fruit of the Spirit” which is the Spirit producing Christ-likeness IN us and expressed THROUGH us and it all takes place on the basis of Christ’s great life, death, and resurrection FOR us and AS us!!

By God’s grace, coupled with “the spiritual disciplines” of prayer, study of the Word, and regular times of quiet meditation and reflection, the “fruit of the Spirit” / The very life of Christ / will be “formed” IN us and will be expressed through us.

In my opinion, this is the proper order of God’s intent and purpose and design for our lives in sanctification: deal with our hearts and our works and service will be a natural fruit that will glorify the Father! Through the continued “spiritual disciplines” in the sphere of God’s sweet grace we are transformed into His likeness! As leaders, we should have been far more interested in our “time spent with Him” than in “our service for Him.” The stories of church leaders who have fallen and brought reproach to the Lord all have one common theme:

• lacking or void in The spiritual disciplines, which are
• prayer, study of the Word, and consistent time spent in meditation and reflection in solitude , strong egos, and isolation from “loving accountability” from spiritual men and women who know them well and love them.

On the contrary, I don’t know a man or woman of God who has fallen from his/her high calling when

• the spiritual disciplines were in place
• he/she guarded their hearts carefully, and
• they were in a strong relationship of “loving accountability” from spiritual men and women

I cannot say today that I’m committed to this process; what I can say, however, is that I’m committed to being committed to this process! This means that I am doing this in some manner, I fail often, and when I fail, I want to be corrected and brought back to the means of sanctification through prayer, study of the Word, and quiet time with the Lord Jesus in meditation, reflection, and praise. This simple and wonderful “means of grace” will so position my heart for God, cripple my sinful nature, and regulate my daily conduct in a manner that The Father calls “fruit that remains.” I am grateful for this “grace of knowledge” from Him and my prayer is that you too will be

Encouraged by these words. I often fall; I quickly get up because I know “in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I’ve committed to Him, against that day.” The Gospel tells me to “get up” and “lifts me us.”

Under the Pruning Shears of His goodness and grace,

Jerry & Charlotte
Col 1:18b “...that in all things, Christ might have the supremacy!”

Our Spiritual "GPS"

Our God reigns! He’s totally aware of our world situation and has been working on His behalf since time began. To watch what’s happening in our nation and make a conclusion about God is backwards; Look at God and make a conclusion about our Nation! Interpretation and application of God’s Word and Will with respect to our world situation takes time in the Word, time with Him, and prayer.

Jesus said that we, as His children, would have difficulties in “the world” because the World hates Him and will hate us as His children. The difficulties Jesus referred to are those that arise when we think and act in a manner that brings honor to Him...not the unwise, carnal thinking and acting that also brings difficulties. Suffering is hard. Suffering for righteousness is not the same as suffering from our own selfish decisions and choices.

The world and it’s pull on our flesh is a fact; the Holy Spirit in us and His “pull” and leading, guiding, teaching, moving us along towards “righteousness” is a FACT! One will not last; ONE will!

To walk under the claims of Christ and His word daily is to walk headlong into the winds of the “world, the flesh, and the devil.” Our direction will never Change under God’s word; the wind of the flesh will also never change. When we feel “no wind” in our face we should be very much aware and get out His Word, our compass and spiritual “GPS”, to assure that we’ve not turned around and now walking “with” the world! Christian friends and biblical accountability are mandatory to help us stay walking “true north.”

I pray for you dear ones today that as you grow older, “...the world will grow strangely dim and empty, in the light of His glory and grace.”

Jerry
Col 1:18b “...that in all things, Christ might have the supremacy!”

Our True Holiday

By God’s sweet grace and mercy, this “4th of July Independence Day” reminds me of my life. Today, for me, everyday is the same: a holiday! I’m free and “off work” forever. As I reflect over my life and see what my Father has done FOR me in His stunning love..Jesus! His only and beloved Son... lived THE life that was required of me, died THE death that was surely mine, and because of His infinite quality and righteousness, and true holiness in doing all that, His Father rewarded me by raising HIM FOR ME AND AS ME!! He then went back to His Father, having “finished the work He sent HIM to do”, to begin the great plan of salvation in its next phase.

On earth as our representative, now in heaven “He is our Peace!” He is our Salvation, He is our great Advocate, our Great Intercessor, our Great High Priest Who presents US to the Father in perfection, in Holiness, in Righteousness, and...wow, this one is stunning...WORTHINESS!

You and I are WORTHY IN HIM...today is indeed a “holiday” for you and for me and all His children...we’re “off-work” today and for all eternity. No work need from us for His approval, for His acceptance, for His smile, for His direction today. And in addition to all that, He has put HIS SPIRIT IN US to comfort us, to teach us, to guide us, to move us towards Jesus, to hold us, to keep us, and to one day take us Home to live with Him forever!!

Now, How ‘bout dem apples?!!

Enjoy your “holiday!”

Jerry
Col 1:18b “...that in all things, Christ might have the supremacy!”

The Master Deceiver: The Pharisee in me!!

Eli, the high priest in Shiloh the Day Hannah cried to the Lord in prayer, was quick to rebuke her as she prayed, thinking that she was drunk: “...Eli thought she was drunk...” ”...How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine.” (1 Sam 1:12-14)

Eli received a rebuke from the Lord later on...accused of “...despising the Lord’s offering”...favoring his sons in their immorality and wickedness over the Lord and His offering!! He did nothing about his sons wickedness, got his rear kicked, lost his life, and both his sons’ lives on the same day, but was at the task of rebuking Hannah for something he “perceived.”

How like him am I! Not a question, a statement! May God give me eyes to see clearly the things that He values and find the “plank in my own Eye” before I go after a spec in others!

Search my heart oh God!

Blessings to you my friends today...

In His great grace that covers all our sins...

ps:
Eli’s sons were Priests in the Temple! Serious occupation and position before God. This is not about my or your sons...it’s about how we treat the things that God values! First and foremost, God’s offering was none other than Jesus Christ, HIS SON!! Do we “value” Him?

Jerry
Col 1:18b “...that in all things, Christ might have the supremacy!”