truth – Page 2

SPIRIT AND TRUTH: THE SABBATH

“Have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?” –Matthew 12:5, ESV

Notice here that Jesus reveals the hypocritical heart which trusts in its own understanding (Pro 3:5) and binds the letter of the law to man-made mandates (consider “profane” vs “guiltless”) (see also Mat 15:8-9). Such “worshipers” are seeking only to pacify God so they can live as they please. They do not love the LORD, and so find their self-righteous rules in conflict with God’s commands of service.

The Sabbath only functioned as a sign, a “reminder of the relationship” that sets God’s people apart from the world (Eze 20:20). Such inward separation (Rom 2:29) renders external symbols incapable of decisively designating the redeemed (Heb 10:4). “Hard hearts” necessitated provisions to be made in the law (Mat 19:8). “Stiff-necked people” (Exo 34:9) required a “tutor” or “disciplinarian” (Gal 3:24).

But “the time” is now (John 4:23) when Christ releases us from the guardian of the law to live as free sons (Gal 3:24-27). Regardless whether we consider “one day holier than other days” or whether we “regard them all alike,” all our days are dedicated to the LORD (Rom 14:5-6). Every day is a celebration of God’s lavish love, staggering strength, and wonderful ways. Every day we rest on His provision and finished work. Every day is devoted to the service of the LORD.

If we belong to Christ, are we not a “nation of priests” (1Pe 2:9) serving the “Lord of the Sabbath” in “something greater than the temple” (Mat 12:6-8)? Is not every day a priestly service, “doing good to others” (Mat 12:12; John 21:17; Gal 6:10) with the praise of His name continually on our lips (Heb 13:15)? Is not every day a joyous denial of selfish ambition (Phi 2:3) and idle talk (1Co 4:20; 2Ti 2:16), and instead a pursuit of the LORD’s pleasure (Eph 5:7-10)? Is not every day a remembrance and proclamation of what the LORD has done (1Co 1:5-7; 2Pe 3:1-2; 1Jo 5:11), a perpetual time of thanksgiving (Eph 5:20)? Is not every day a perpetual rest for God’s people—a relief from the curse of sin and the futility of labor (Ecc 2:11,26; Heb 4:9-10)? Is not every day about our Father’s business (Luke 2:49), following Him (2Co 5:7) and reflecting whatever He does (John 5:19)?

The question is not what day of the week are we willing to vacation from our careers where we find ultimate pleasure and identity, but whether we are indeed living as priests of God making every day a labor of love in His service to the worship of His name (1Th 1:3; 4:1)?

“Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” –Revelation 20:6, NET

Billy Neal

Poured Out

“And it shall come to pass afterward
That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh;
Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions.
And also on My menservants and on My maidservants
I will pour out My Spirit in those days. —Joel 2:28-29.

Men, Joel has communicated the promise of God to renew His people IF they repent. Joel now fast-forwards through time. Israel will have some time to consider their options, obey or reject, and then “It shall come to pass afterwards.” After this time of either renewal or intense chastisement, the Lord will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. Some argue that only Israel is in view with this promise, but with the benefit of the Acts in the New Testament, we know that “all flesh” means all who confess Jesus as Lord. As the Spirit of God comes upon a believer they will prophesy.

Prophecy is mistakenly thought only to be speaking the future. More accurately, prophecy is speaking the Words of God as directed by the Spirit of God, and can include praise to God. In Ch1, Joel prophesies of things that have already happened, and of their current circumstances. It’s not until ch2 that prophecy grants a peek into the future.

After the Spirit of God is poured out on man, old men will have dreams, and young men will see visions. Dreams come while asleep, and include special revelation. Visions come while someone is awake. Ezekiel is an example of a vision. While he was awake sitting by the Chebar River he “saw.” The Spirit of God will be poured out upon believers without class, racial, or gender distinctions. Sons and daughters in v28 represent Jews in Joel’s future. Menservants and maidservants of v29 were of all nationalities including Jews.

Brothers, Acts ch2 has happened. We’re living in a time when Holy Spirit is poured out, but there are too few vessels prepared to receive it. Dreams and visions are available, but too few are seeking revelation from God. We are not prophesying, (calling out the Word of God as though it was so.) We confess Christ as Lord but refuse to come off our own thrones. His Spirit IS POURED OUT. What will we do with it?

Move forward men, speaking the Word of God as truth, and believe it. Seek first the Kingdom, and else else will be given.

Vance Durrance

The Lord’s Hand

The Lord's Hand

Gird yourselves and lament, you priests;
Wail, you who minister before the altar;
Come, lie all night in sackcloth,
You who minister to my God;
For the grain offering and the drink offering
Are withheld from the house of your God.
Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
Gather the elders
And all the inhabitants of the land
Into the house of the Lord your God,
And cry out to the Lord.

Alas for the day!
For the day of the Lord is at hand;
It shall come as destruction from the Almighty.
Is not the food cut off before our eyes,
Joy and gladness from the house of our God?
The seed shrivels under the clods,
Storehouses are in shambles;
Barns are broken down,
For the grain has withered.
How the animals groan!
The herds of cattle are restless,
Because they have no pasture;
Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.

O Lord, to You I cry out;
For fire has devoured the open pastures,
And a flame has burned all the trees of the field.
The beasts of the field also cry out to You,
For the water brooks are dried up,
And fire has devoured the [c]open pastures.
— Joel 1:13-20.

Men, the grasses, grains, vines, and trees have been consumed by a judgment of locusts in Judah. Joel says that even joy has withered away. The prophet now calls for Judah to lament (mourn), for priests to wail, and for ministers to lie at night in sackcloth because there are no grain offerings. Joel calls for a national fast and for every person to assemble and cry out to God. Even the animals are groaning in desperation. The fields are dying, what’s left is dry, and wild fires have devoured the pastures. Joel cries out to God on behalf of Judah and all Israel.

In Joel’s time as well as our own time, we may look out our window and identify a problem, but we seldom recognize the Lord’s corrective hand. If His corrective hand is hard to see, discerning what to do about it further escapes us. Joel has identified their circumstances as an act of Gods hand, heard the Lords conviction, and called the entire region to assemble with a fast to pray and cry out to God.

Joel was not a political leader as far as we know, but he recognized the season and made a national plea on behalf of his people. What makes his voice any louder than yours or mine? Was there anything special about Joel that he would be heard more than you or me? We can look to history and see that Joel was not heard; the people were not convicted to the point of turning back to God. Joel didn’t know one way or the other but recognized what needed to take place and acted on it. Will you and I?

Move forward men, seeking the Lord’s counsel that He might reveal His ways, then we may respond as called. We should see some hint of the season we’re in, and be praying for our loved ones and neighbors. We should be mourning for those who are blind and calling for national repentance. We should be fasting to gain further understanding of our circumstances. Are we? Will we?

Vance Durrance

Hear the Word of the Lord

Hear-the-Word-of-the-Lord

The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
Hear this, you elders,
And give ear, all you inhabitants of the land!
Has anything like this happened in your days,
Or even in the days of your fathers?
Tell your children about it,
Let your children tell their children,
And their children another generation.
— Joel 1:1-3.

Men, “the Word of the Lord” has come to Joel. Straight away, we should snap to alert attention. When the Lord of hosts speaks, it is no small matter regardless of who the servant is. Joel exclaims over the people of Judah, “hear this, you elders, and give ear, all you inhabitants of the land!” Joel wants everyone to hear and take note, but he tells the elders specifically to “hear this.” There is an added expectation upon the elders. Everyone needed to hear, but the elders needed to fully understand the message, what was happening, and what was yet coming, to lead the people in the repentance he would be calling them to.

The Lord has made attempt to get unrepentant Judah’s attention. Judah has been judged by their sin and has recently experienced a devastation that too few have interpreted as an alert from the Lord. Joel has to plainly ask his fellow man, “has anything like this happened in your days, or even in the days of your father?” We often read too fast over such a rhetorical question to see what the judgment of the Lord looked like, but let’s not miss the stunning rebuke here. Since Joel has to ask the people, we may deduce that no one has considered the singularity of this judgement event. No one has paused to question the source, the message, or the intent of the circumstances Judah now faces.

This rebuke is for us as well. We will soon find that the Word Joel speaks is also for our time, and our children’s time. When calamity strikes our personal lives, when our nation is in turmoil, while the world seems upended in confusion, corruption, conflict and more, at what point do you and I pause to humble ourselves before God and ask where we have sinned against Him? Like Israel, we are quick to point fingers and too blind to see our own sin as an ingredient in the collective circumstances.

Move forward men, pausing this day to ask the Lord “search me O God”, and evaluate our circumstances. Is the Lord not seeking our attention today? Will we hear Him?

Vance Durrance

Conflict Resolution

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. — Philippians 4:4-5.

Men, after naming two women who have been at odds and calling for an end to conflict, Paul encouraged the congregation to encircle those affected by the rift with support. It was expected that common ground could be reached in their faith in Christ.

With conflict as a backdrop, Paul gives the church another “bumper sticker” with v4. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice!” Thankfully, we can rejoice. Christ IS enough to settle conflict by His love pouring through us. The washing away of bitterness, through forgiveness in Christ, is often enough to see the nonsense of conflict. Paul then tells Phillipi to “Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.” Proverbs 15 tells us, “a gentle answer turns away wrath.”

When most of us think of conflict, we don’t immediately turn to gentleness as a solution, myself included. A man is often compelled to reestablish a line harshly after it has been crossed. Eventually, bitterness sets in and turns to discord, which turns into dissension. That is exactly what Paul is hoping to correct by turning all parties’ attention to the cross. The cross is where we see the answer to our flesh, our hate, our envy, our strife, our contentions, nailed to die on behalf of our shortcomings.

Conflict mediators and counselors make a lot of money to bring closure to disputes that Christ has settled. Conflict emerges when one or more parties fail to see, act, and respond as Jesus would. Conflict remains when one or more parties respond outside of faith in the precepts of Christ. Gentleness is misunderstood. Today’s men are often impotent and passive. That is not gentleness. Gentleness is a choice to employ Christ’s heart instead of Thor’s hammer, while the hammer is in reach.

Move forward men, loving each member in the fellowship of believers as Christ loved the fellowship of believers. Every one was worth His payment on the cross… and we’ve all crossed His line of what is and is not Holy.

Vance Durrance

Press On

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
— Philippians 3:12-14.

Men, all is loss and distraction apart from Jesus. Paul’s ambition is to know Jesus and to make Him known around the known world at his time. Here in v12, Paul makes it clear that he has not come to a point of arrival, he has not grasped hold of the fullness of Jesus, but he presses on to get a hold of Jesus as Jesus has a hold on Paul.

Paul’s conversion on the road, where Jesus introduced Himself to Paul in blinding light, had a profound effect on Paul. But even with such a radical shift, he had not come to a conclusive understanding of Christ, nor may he/ we ever. Instead, Paul is committedly pursuing deeper depths, more intimate understanding, and a closer experience with Jesus. Paul is 100% living his present life with consciousness that eternity has already begun. The upward call of Christ, where we walk away from the physical and come eternally into the presence of God is a goal and prize for Paul.

What do our own hearts seek? Are we committed to pursuing greater depths with the One who bought us back from death? Are we pursuing knowledge of Him, experience with Him, that we might share it with a world who doesn’t know Him?

Move forward men, reaching ahead, pressing on toward Jesus as a goal and prize. The best experiences with Jesus often aren’t at waist height and in reach, or in convenient moments. Set aside the world’s desires, and reach ahead to grab hold of Him as He has taken hold of you.

Vance Durrance

Tradition

tradition Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh. –Philippians 3:1-3

Men, Paul has warned the Philippians before to watch out for false teachers. Again, Paul revisits the subject for their own well-being. These false teachers were committed to hindering the gospel or at least contaminating it with traditional ideology. Common among their false teaching was the traditional teaching of circumcision. Traditional circumcision was appointed by God as an outward sign of Hebrew/Jewish lineage back to Abraham and the Abrahamic covenant and promises. In other words, for a time, to be circumcised was to be identified as persons of God. Traditionalists focused on keeping the rules of God but neglected a desire for the presence of God from within their hearts.

Our hearts gravitate toward fleshly and worldly things. True circumcision is worshipping God in Spirit. Our flesh, our rules, and our traditions may point to problems, they may erect guardrails, and model approved behaviors, but True Circumcision disregards all flesh to pursue the Spirit. This is tricky to communicate in type. This is NOT an abandonment of good customs and practices. But instead, Paul is announcing that we are no longer identified as people of God by our traditions. We are now identified by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and our personal connection to worship from the Spirit.

In our time, we might say, heaven is not a reward for perfect church attendance. Traditions abound here in the southeastern U.S. Many attend Sunday services from habit. Family heritages can be traced back to the times of our founding and every generation attended church in the same town center. It makes great history, but is not a passport to Kingdom. Circumcision had been a practice for over 1500 years at Paul’s letter, but never produced a heart of worship to God in the Spirit.

Move forward men, questioning our hearts intent with traditions. Are we being obedient to the Lord God, or to rules handed down? Are we seeking Oneness or perfection?

Vance Durrance

Love

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit. Love is patient, love is kind, it is not envious. Love does not brag, it is not puffed up. It is not rude, it is not self-serving, it is not easily angered or resentful. It is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” –1 Corinthians 13:1-7

See the astounding love from which only flows from the Father (1Jo 4:8). A love that if we lack of it, our life is a meaningless noise. This is not the limited love of the world that asks us to extend a crumb of kindness in order to “be the bigger person” so we can puff up our pious pride. This love is not the cold “love” of the world that makes peace with broken relationships and equates forgiveness with a faulty memory. No, this love implores affection for those who wound us deeply (Luke 6:32-36), to empty ourselves for their benefit (Rom 5:6-8). This love drives us to our knees for reconciliation (both with God and one another; Mat 5:9), extending boundless forgiveness no matter the history (Mat 18:21-22), joyfully receiving insults, persecutions, and “all kinds of evil things” (Mat 5:11-12).

“I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” –John 13:34

Billy Neal

Consider how God has shined and rained grace upon you (Mat 5:45). Truly consider your lowly state before Him, and that Jesus paid it all (1Jo 2:2). No retribution is owed anyone who has wronged you; the only repayment you have in Christ Jesus is love (Rom 13:8-10). And we are helpless to show this kind of love apart from His empowerment.

Fearlessness

and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. — Phillipians 1:28.

Men, Paul instructs the Philippians to “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together.” That one mind is focused on Christ and they are to strive together to know Him more and bear His likeness as a result.

Paul now says, “Don’t in any way be terrified by our enemies.” We know full well that the people of God have very real opposition and enemies. Especially during times and places of physical persecution, believers, understandably, become terrified for what may happen to themselves or loved ones. Some historical and current acts against Christians are nothing short of barbaric. Even so, our lack of fear will be a sign of defeat to the enemy. The person may in fact die, but the fearlessness demonstrated will haunt those who order and carry out the order to bring harm against God’s people.

Furthermore, our fearlessness will be a sign of salvation to believers. Is there a more final act of faith and allegiance to the Lord God than to stare our murderous fate in the face and welcome the occasion to meet Jesus in Glory in an instant? Would the Lord God not welcome such a person with honors? Our time is filled with venom and slur against the ways of God and the people who accept Jesus as Savior and adopt His ways and precepts.

Most of it is noise at the moment here, but elsewhere, real hate and risk is volleyed against believers. Let us be in prayer for believers to be strengthened in their hour of trouble, that Spirit empowered fearlessness strikes terror in the hearts of the enemy, and drives them to consider, who is this Jesus really?

Move forward men, in no way terrified, but in all ways faithful, with focus on the finish line of seeing Christ Jesus and hearing His welcome into eternal Kingdom presence. These days, as they were for the Philippians, and for Paul, are “momentary afflictions.”

Vance Durrance

The Fruits of Righteousness

Fruits of Righteousness

… being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. — Philippians 1:11 NKJV

Men, Paul prays that the Philippians love one another with an affection that grows out of knowledge and discernment. Not a blind affection, or one that flows from rules, but instead, that flows from a heart that understands and senses as Christ’s heart does. Paul now adds that he desires that the Philippians be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ.

Earlier in Galatians 5, we find a list of fruits we can expect to have through the Spirit of God, including love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, and self control. In 2 Corinthians 3:17, Paul has said, “The Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” Through an increase in knowledge and discernment, we should grow in love, which matures into fruits of the Spirit. Experiencing the Spirit filled life should lead us into freedom. Freedom not from oppressive political regimes, but from hate, greed, prejudice, etc. and freedom from fleshly lusts.

Today it’s hard to catch our breath from one crisis to another. It’s easy to get carried away in a torrent of calamity fueled by agenda and power grab. “Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ” isn’t something that is going to happen by accident or by keeping proximity to a building with a steeple. Growing in knowledge and discernment will take commitment and effort. Choosing to engage a broken world through Christ’s love instead of our fleshly disgust may not come naturally or easy.

However, moving forward, the choice to do so is for the glory and praise of our God. Be aware of the strategies of the world and our enemy to hinder brotherly affection. Combat it by growing in knowledge and discernment. Approve of what is excellent in Christ. Spare offenses by engaging people with the fruits of Christ’s Spirit flowing from within, and may God be glorified.

Vance Durrance