Gaining Spiritual Ground in 2013: Emphasize Prayer

Hebrews 4:11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

Numbers 36:1 "And the heads of the fathers’ households of the family of the sons of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, of the families of the sons of Joseph, came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel"

The Christian life or participation in their spiritual inheritance is pictured by the land of Israel
Hebrews 4:11-16 represents one of the sections in the Book of Hebrews that exhorts readers to strive towards knowing and following Jesus Christ.  The word for "diligent" in Hebrews 4:11 refers to "hasten, be zealous, eager, make every effort".  So the question is: what is it that the author is wanting his readers and us to be diligent about?  Answer: to enter into the "rest" of God.  This statement fits into the larger section of Hebrews 3:7-4:16, wherein the comprison is made between the Old Testament Israelites and their relationship to the land of Canaan to New Testament Christians and their growth in the Christian life.  The Old Testament promises of land for Israel are concrete illustrations used by the Bible to illustrate the Christian's inheritance and Christian life in Christ. 

With that basic understanding established, we can legitimately draw the conclusion that excercising the "diligence to enter into that rest" equals gaining spiritual ground. 

Gleaning principles for gaining ground in the Old Testament: Emphasize Prayer
As we pointed out, the Jews and the promised land in the Old Testament picture for us the Christian and their Christian walk in the New.  The idea of inheritance is mentioned nearly 20 times in Numbers 36, making it the perfect place to understand this concept of gaining ground.  The heads of a tribe in Israel was appealing to Moses on behalf of five daughters who were attempting to obtain their late father's inheritance.  The father's name was Zelophehad, and being that he had no sons, the question of course would be whether or not his daughters could claim the right to inherit his possessions.  Back in Numbers 27 these same people had appealed to God and Moses, with the Lord telling to Moses to grant their request.  It was now a matter of them laying claim to what was rightfully theirs. 

So what was it that these people of God did to gain their share in God's inheritiance promised to them in the promised land?  Notice what they emphasized: prayer. 

Numbers 36:1b states - "came near and spoke before Moses and before the leaders, the heads of the fathers’ households of the sons of Israel."  Where did these people draw near to speak to the Prophet Moses about this right of inheritance?  According to Exodus 33:7 "Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp."  Over time this "tent of meeting" came to be associated with the tabernacle. (Leviticus 1:1; Numbers 3:25). They drew near to the place where God's people go to speak to God and to hear God by way of the priest.  The priesthood in turn would perform sacrifices and go into the tabernacle to represent them in prayer. 

Gaining spiritual ground in the New Testament entails emphasizing prayer
In Hebrews 4:11 we read of the necessity for the Christian to "strive" or "be all the more diligent" to enter into God's rest.  That "rest" is the spiritual counterpart to the "land" and physical inheritance we see in Numbers.  What is it that we are to do today as Christians in gaining ground for God?  One of things spoken of in Hebrews 4:11-16 is the need to emphasize prayer. 

The writer employs the language of the tabernacle and priesthood.  Hebrews 4:14 and 16 - 14 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.... 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Specific areas of gain that can occur when we emphasize prayer
Just as the people of God drew close to the entrance of the "place of prayer", the "tent of meeting", so are we as New Testament believers.  No gaining of spiritual ground is possible apart from prayer.  Take note of significant New Testament passages that emphasize the place of prayer in Christian growth:

1. Ephesians 6:18 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

2. Philippians 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

3. 1 Timothy 2:1  "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone. 2 for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity."

4. Jude 20 "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit."

As we gain ground for God in 2013 by way of prayer, we can expect to have clearer thinking (Ephesians 6:18), more peace of mind (Philippians 4:6-7), greater ability to change our communities (1 Timothy 2:1-2) and be stronger personally in our pursuit of God (Jude 20). 

Guest Blogger Debi Smith - "The Enemy's Use of Deception"

Introduction: Occassionally I like to give the readers of this blog the opportunity to read materials written by others. I call these blogs: Guest Blogger blogs. My wife Debi is currently studying for her Bachelor of Science Degree in Christian Counseling at Liberty University. She recently wrote a paper on "Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling". Yesterday's post dealt with the supernatural component in Christian Counseling.  In this third and final installment of our Guest Blogger series, we will explore the Enemy's use of deception, as well as some concluding remarks on the nature of the unseen in Christian Counseling.  May you be blessed dear reader as you read from our guest blogger Debi Smith. 

The Enemy’s Use of Deception

    At the fall of mankind where sin entered the world through Adam, the human mind went from whole to distorted.  Without accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, the minds of men and women remain “unregenerate and cannot function properly”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 66)  It is through Christ that all mankind has the hope and promise of the ability to renew the mind. (Romans 12:2)

    Dr. Anderson reminds that the battle is for the mind. (Anderson, 2003)  Satan knows the vulnerability of the human mind and how to use it to his advantage.  The Bible calls him the “father of lies” (John 8:44), thief (Mark4:15), tempter (1 Corinthians 7:5), schemer (2 Corinthians 2:11), and a deceiver that leads people astray (2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelations 12:9).   Warren Wiersbe in his book, Be Joyful, reminds followers of Christ that the “Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground”. (Wiersbe, 1989, p.49)  He also points out that in the book of Philippians the secret to joy and peace stems from the mind fixated on Christ (Isaiah 26:3).  In Philippians, the word mind is used ten times, think is used five times, and remember once.  This brings the total of references to the mind and thought processes to 16 times. (Wiersbe, 1989)

    No wonder the enemy of mankind’s souls wants to get into the mind to destroy any work of the Holy Spirit. Knowing this, what are the tools the enemy uses to deceive the minds of men and women?  “Satan’s purpose is to cause us to think and live contrary to God’s plan for us”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 246)  Here are just a few examples of wrong thinking that the enemy can use to get a person off course: the belief that things can give lasting happiness, addictions can bring comfort, sin isn’t followed with consequence, people that don’t believe Jesus is Lord can go to Heaven anyway, a person must live up to the image set up by those around them, finding importance in finding approval of others above God. Add to these the things people do to deceive themselves, such as: not following the Bible’s standard, claiming to be sinless, allowing pride to convince themselves they are something they are not or that they are wise, and not controlling the tongue. (Anderson, 2003)

   Examples of faulty ways people think to defend themselves include: escaping into a fantasy world, withdrawing from people, exploding in anger, blaming others for circumstances, making excuses, and tainting the truth. (Anderson, 2003)

    So how does one defend themselves against the Deceiver?  The answer is seemingly simple, but impossible to carry out without the help of the Holy Spirit. Followers of Jesus Christ can praise God that at the moment of conversion God gives His children the Holy Spirit to live inside them. This enables everyone in Christ to choose truth over the lies.  If a person has surrendered their will and their heart to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit lives in them and gives them the ability and power to take back their minds from the enemy.  (1 Corinthians 2:10-16; John 14:16-17)  With the help of the Holy Spirit living in the heart of a believer, they can “take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ”. (2 Corinthians 10:5, New International Version)

    This is indeed sounds like a daunting task, but there are practical ways to purge the mind of deceiving thoughts and replace them with God’s thoughts.  Knowing what the Bible says about the role of man and the benefits of being a child of God is a start.  Discover what God says in His word about how humankind should live after accepting His Son’s gift of salvation.  Decipher the thoughts that contradict what the Bible says, replacing them with scriptures that speak truth.  Find a mature believer and counselor to aid in the process of defeating the Deceiver.

Conclusion

    Ignoring or dismissing the unseen factors in counseling hinders the healing of a counselee.  Often misdiagnosed, a person will go on in their life suffering from attacks from an enemy that has one mission: to destroy.  However, a Christian counselor armed with the word of God and the Holy Spirit can enlighten one who is willing and open to the leading of Jesus Christ.  Deception will be banished and replaced with the truth that only comes from God. “Discipleship counseling is not just a technique we learn; it is an encounter with God, who is the wonderful counselor”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 110) 

Guest Blogger Debi Smith - Supernatural Component in Christian Counseling

Introduction: Occassionally I like to give the readers of this blog the opportunity to read materials written by others. I call these blogs: Guest Blogger blogs. My wife Debi is currently studying for her Bachelor of Science Degree in Christian Counseling at Liberty University. She recently wrote a paper on "Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling".  Yesterday's post featured the beginning of her paper, wherein she compared secular and Christian approaches to counseling, as well as outlining the need to include the unseen realm in one's approach to counseling.  Today we will continue with her paper - noting how she fleshes out the supernatural component in Christian counseling.  Bless you reader as you read more from our guest blogger - Debi Smith.

The Supernatural Component in Christian Counseling

    There is a battle being fought that is unseen.  For those that are in Christ, the Bible speaks clearly and plainly that the enemies we fight are not flesh and blood, but the powers of this dark world and the spiritual realm. (Ephesians 6:12)  Even many of our churches struggle to see this as true so it is not shocking that the scientific world would view this aspect of Christian counseling as ridiculous.  Why does the church turn a blind eye to the spiritual battle? 

    Jay Adams in his book, The War Within, points out that there have always been two mistakes made by the church regarding the power of Satan.  The Christian community has either gone to one extreme or the other, underestimating or overestimating the power of the enemy.  Satan has been made to be a cartoon character and something laughable while at other times his abilities and powers have been exaggerated to the point to make Christ’s people wilt in terror. (Adams, 1989)  The result of this improper balance is that the church is “asleep on the battlefield”. (Adams, 1989, p.8)

    In the clinical setting trained in secular science, the results are just as destructive.  Dr. Anderson brings out in his book that if a patient comes to a doctor with the complaint of a hearing voices and feeling terror or seeing things.  How is this observable by counselor?  It is not, but yet the professional would view the counselee as out of touch with reality, possibly resulting in a medication to dull the awareness of these voices.  (Anderson, 2003)

    What if it is possible that these people are indeed hearing and seeing the things they claim?  People cannot see what exists in the minds of others.  “Without some Biblical explanation, most people (including many Christians) accept the psychological diagnosis of psychosis, neurosis, or schizophrenia”. (Anderson, 2003, p.45) Using terms such as these are acceptable to define or explain the symptoms, but they do not reveal the source or root.

    In an interesting journal article written by Marcia A. Murphy, she interviews patients diagnosed and treated for various psychosis disorders.  Several describe their experiences and episodes with “hallucinations” and voices as being malevolent, sinister, feeling as though they were in Hell, and even contemplating suicide as a result.  One such individual claimed that the only thing that kept them from committing suicide was their faith in God.  Another patient described a situation where her atheist psychologist convinced her to give up church and walk away from God so that she could “rebuild her” (Murphy, 2000, p. 182) only to have the patient fall farther into despair.  It wasn’t until the patient went back to the previous religious support that she made strides.  In the conclusion of her article, Marcia A. Murphy determines that “spiritual life aids people with mental illnesses”. (Murphy, 2000, p. 183)    

    Humankind is both physical and spiritual by God’s own design.  Therefore, a fine balance needs to be struck when counseling.  There is not always a spiritual answer for every experience just as there is not always a physical answer.  However, there are two essential beliefs to encourage and maintain good mental and spiritual health.  An individual needs to understand the nature of God and who they can be as a child of God if they accept Jesus Christ as Lord of their heart and mind.  “Satan can undermine your mental and emotional health simply by distorting either one”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 56)

More tomorrow..........

Guest Blogger Debi Smith - Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Introduction: Occassionally I like to give the readers of this blog the opportunity to read materials written by others.  I call these blogs: Guest Blogger blogs.  My wife Debi is currently studying for her Bachelor of Science Degree in Christian Counseling at Liberty University.  She recently wrote a paper on "Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling".  I believe you will find what she wrote insightful and informative.  May the Lord bless you dear reader and thanks for stopping by the blog.

Battling the Unseen in Christian Counseling

by Deborah Smith

 

Abstract: This paper will explore three themes in Christian counseling as explained in Neil T. Anderson’s book, Discipleship Counseling.  First, can Christian counseling in some cases offer aid that clinical psychology and psychiatry cannot using the Holy, inspired, inerrant Word of God?  Second, the Bible states that mankind consists of more than just physical components.  Humans are made up of body, soul, and spirit.  If this is true, can the spirit realm affect a person’s mental wellbeing?  Is there an enemy to the soul of man that desires to destroy and keep its victims bound and unproductive?  Thirdly, deception is one of the most de-habilitating weapons in the enemy’s arsenal.  If lies can be spoken into the minds of people and allowed to fester there, the individual over time will begin to believe the enemy’s accusations and will accept these falsehoods as truth.  How can one fight these lies and protect their minds against future deception?  The Bible, in the hands of a counselor surrendered to the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit, can disciple a person bound by the ploys of the enemy into a life of freedom and fellowship with God.       

Introduction  

    When one looks at a person they can see their physical body.  With the right medical equipment and training, a doctor can even see their internal organs and evaluate what might be amiss.  Even human behaviors can be observed and opinions can be rendered based on what is seen.  However, what about the areas of men and women that remain unseen? 

 

     Dr. Neil T. Anderson in his book, Discipleship Counseling, aids Christian counselors in understanding that there is more to humans that what can be observed with physical eyes.  There is a spiritual realm that consists of the human spirit as well as the supernatural that also plays a part in why people think and do the things they do.  This is not an area that psychology or psychiatry focuses on and a Christian counselor armed with the Bible can aid a counselee, resulting in breaking free from dangerous deception of the enemy of our souls.

Christian Counseling vs. Secular Behavioral Sciences

     The studies of psychology and psychiatry attempt to answer the questions of why we behave and think in certain ways based on scientific evaluation of what is seen.  With a certain amount of success, doctors in these fields can address the physiological symptoms that they observe. “They are observing what the Bible calls the flesh in the vast majority of cases”. (Anderson, 2003, p. 27) 

    Dr. Anderson points out that scientific research can be helpful in illustrating behaviors consistent in sinful humanity, but there are limitations that keep behavioral sciences from shedding light on the nature of man that remains unseen.  For example, science not rooted in Christ tries to prove that mankind is “an evolutionary product of our past environment and shaped by our individual choices”. (Anderson, 2003, p.27)   With all of its research science cannot explain the supernatural, prove or disprove the existence of God, or how faith works in the life of an individual.  (Anderson, 2003)

     Man is both material and immaterial.  The material aspect of man is the physical body as can be observed and experienced.  The immaterial consists of the soul and spirit, with the heart of man at the center.  (Anderson, 2003)  The Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”. (Proverbs 4:23, New International Version)

     Oswald Chambers explains the heart this way: “According to the Bible the heart is the centre: The centre of memory, the centre of mercy, the centre of damnation and of salvation, the centre of God’s working and the centre of the devil’s working, the centre from which everything works which moulds the human mechanism.” (Chambers,1912, p.100)     

    How would secular science be able to observe and treat the condition of the human heart?  Only God can read a heart.  (Romans 8:27)  What happens when something goes wrong in the heart of a man or woman?  God has given humanity a gift called the Bible.  It is through the Bible that people can understand how to live, function, and respond in a fallen, sin sick world and a Christian counselor can point a person with a heart hungering for God in the right path.  “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, New International Version)

More tomorrow...........

 

Supernatural Christianity needs to Celebrate Christmas Truth Everyday for the sake of worship

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Quick Review
Why must the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ be celebrated everyday by Christians? We have so far explored how practical Christianity feeds from Him who is the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ in 1 Timothy 3:14-16. Also too we have noted that when viewing Christianity in terms of its doctrines, the need to celebrate Christimas truth everyday is also necessary.  Biblical Christianity rests upon three legs: the practical, the doctrinal and the supernatural.  When we state "Practical Christianity" or "Biblical Christianity", we're simply referring to the essential ways in which we can view our daily Christian life.  It is as much practical as it is doctrinal and supernatural. 

How our worship expresses the supernatural character of Biblical Christianity
Being that 1 Timothy 3:16 is an ancient Christian Hymn, it is only fitting that we make the third reason for daily celebrating Jesus Christ, the truth of Christmas, to be for the sake of supernatural Christianity.  All of the supernatural aspects of the Christian faith flow from Jesus Christ.  Worship is how we best see the supernatural essence of our Christian faith.  Ephesians 2:18 clarifies this point:  "for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father."  Jesus Christ's incarnation and virgin birth stand as landmark supernatural events that shape the very essence of the Christian faith.  To focus on the Christmas Truth of Jesus Christ in His first coming reinforces us to be a people who worship and love the Lord. 

The Glory of Jesus Christ and supernatural Christian worship
If you notice the first and last lines of this passage, they both deal with the glory of Jesus Christ.  Quite literally we are enjoying Christ from glory to glory in this passage.  The glory of His incarnation and the glory of His ascension.  We look forward to the day when He returns in the glory of His Father.  God's glory in Jesus Christ is the beginning, middle and end of Christian worship.  Some passages below will serve to reinforce the priority of Christ's glory in supernatural Christianity:

1. The Glory of God the Son was sung about at His birth. 
Luke 2:14 states:  “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

2. The Glory of God the Son was stated at the beginning of His public Ministry
Matthew 3:17 "and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

3. The Glory of God the Son was stated when He was on the Mount of Transfiguration mid-way through His public ministry
Matthew 17:5 "While he was still speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and behold, a voice out of the cloud said, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!”

4. The Glory of God the Son is prayed for by Him in His Upper Room Prayer
John 17:5 “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was."

5. His glory demonstrated in His resurrection is the basis for the Christian's New Birth and faith-walk with the Lord
1 Peter 1:3 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"

It was this glory of Jesus Christ that was spoken of at the beginning of His birth, and the same glory which He showed, beginning witjh His resurrection and going all the way into His Ascension.  When you see 1 Timothy 3:16, it begins and ends with His glory.  Worship as the chief expression of the supernatural nature of Christianity must begin and end with the glory of Jesus Christ.  The truth of Christmas centers on this fact about our Lord.  He being God in human flesh never ceased being glorious. 

Doctrinal Christianity needs to Celebrate Christmas Truth Everyday

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

In thinking on this idea of Jesus Christ as the truth of Christmas, I asked this question in yesterday's blog: Why must the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ be celebrated everyday by Christians? We explored how practical Christianity feeds from Him who is the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ in 1 Timothy 3:14-16a.  If you will recall, we noted that Practical Christianity entails how one treats others (conduct) as well their own personal relationship with the Lord (godliness).  We also noticed too that Biblical Christianity rests upon three legs: the practical, the doctrinal and the supernatural.  Then finally, due to the fact that Paul specifically mentioned Jesus Christ as God manifested in the flesh demonstrates the Christmas truth to which He wrote about  namely Jesus Christ Himself. 

With that review in mind, we turn our attention to the second reason as to why we need to celebrate Christmas truth everyday: Precious Doctrine is Framed by Him who is the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ.   We will be looking at the 18 words that Paul writes in 1 Timothy 3:16b to discover how much the doctrines associated with Christ's first coming are to drive our everyday Christianity.

A rich and profound statement about Jesus Christ being the heart of Christianity
1 Timothy 3:16 is an example of one of the first Christian hymns ever written.  Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul takes up this hymn and utilizes it to exhort his young protege Timothy to remain faithful to his calling.  Doctrine that changes lives is equally elegant and exact.  In 18 words in the original text Paul lays down some of the most incredible truths about Jesus Christ.  Note how the structure of these six statements begin and end with similar themes, focusing the reader's attention on the middle two lines of the text: 

1. Wonderful Christ coming from Glory. "God was manifest in the flesh."  As "God" (KJV, NKJV) or "He who" (other English Translations) being revealed in human flesh, Jesus Christ made the journey from Heavenly glory to earthly humiliation. (Philippians 2:5-11) 

     2. Work of the Spirit in the Virgin Birth.  "justified in the Spirit"
     The word translated "justified" in the KJV speaks of the Holy Spirit
     deeming the humanity of Jesus Christ, conceived by Him in the
     virgin's womb, to be without sin.  As God He could not sin and
     as a sinless human being he would not sin. Because of Jesus'
     virgin birth conception, He did not inherit the sin nature that is
     passed down  from a male bloodline. (Matthew 1:20,23; Luke
     1:35; 1 Peter 1:17-18, 2:21-22) 
     
            3. Witness of Angels. "seen of angels"
              We know that in the birth narratives of Matthew and Luke,
             angels were present to proclaim that in the City of David 
             had been born a Savior.  What makes this statement of
             Him being "seen by angels" is the fact that the Old
             Testament portrays the angels veiling their eyes with their
              wings, never having looked directly upon the Deity of God.
             (Isaiah 6).  Their song in Luke 2:14 is their proclamation of
             the Deity of the Son who now lay in the manger: "Glory to
             God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward
             men."

             4. Witness of Men. "preached unto the Gentiles"
             By the time Paul wrote these words in 1 Timothy, the early
             church's mission had spread from Jerusalem to Judea and
             Samaria to the Uttermost parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8)  The
             "preaching" or "proclamation" of the Gospel took place after
             Jesus had ascended.  What is interesting about the last
             three lines of this text is that we will go backward to the point
             where He had ascended into Heaven after giving His
             disciples the great commission in Matthew 28:18-20 and
             Acts 1:8-11. 

      5. Work of the Spirit in the New Birth of believers. "believed
      on in the world"
      Just as we saw the work of the Spirit in Christ's Virgin birth in the
      second line of this text, we see His work in convicting sinner's
      unto salvation in thise second from the last line of the text.  As
      the Gospel about God who came in human flesh to die on the
      cross and be raised from the dead was preached, people
      believed!  Focusing on Jesus Christ, the truth of Christmas,
      should stir Christians to share the Goodnews with their unsaved
      loved ones and friends.

6. Wonderful Christ taken up into Glory. "received up into glory"
With this last line of the passage we see a parallel with the first, namely that the Christ who came as God in human flesh from glory is being received as the resurrected Lord into glory.  Jesus had prayed in John 17:1-4 that He would once again get to share in the Glory He had with the Father from all eternity.  In Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:50-53 and Acts 1:8-11 we see our Lord ascending into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father. 

The first three lines detail the reality of Christmas truth from the standpoint of God's activity in the Heavenly realm, whereas the last three lines deal with His same activity in the earthly realm.  Truly in Jesus Christ we see the Eternity of Heaven and history meet in One person.  Would we be a people who celebrates Christmas truth everyday.  Would we be a people who in noting the rich doctrines of the Bible, as they pertain to the Lord Jesus Christ, be so moved to love Him more and tell others about Him. 

Practical Christianity needs to Celebrate Christmas Truth Everyday

1 Timothy 3:14-16 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

What to do after the presents are unwrapped
In a few short days we will be celebrating Christmas with our family.  As many of you who are reading this blog probably will be experiencing, the anticipation leading up to Christmas and the quickness of its passing leaves one with a sense of "now what?"  When we celebrate holidays like Christmas, it is very easy to focus on the significance of Jesus' incarnation and virgin birth only once a year.  What about the remaining eleven or so months?  Should the truth of Christ's virgin birth and entry from eternity into time be restricted to once a year?  Today's blog aims to give the Christian reader a direction to go in the wake of unwrapped presents and what will be the drawing to a close of another Christmas season. 

The passage that urges us to celebrate Christmas truth everyday
1 Timothy 3:14-16 stands as one of the most incredible texts in the New Testament.  What draws me to this text is the fact that it includes a profound statement about the Incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Not only is the passage rich in doctrine, but also the passage is unique in that it represents one of the first early Christian hymns.  Those details alone made me start thinking about Jesus Christ as the Central truth of Christmas.  As Paul was closing out this positive set of instructions to Timothy his young protege and pastor of the Ephesian church,  he urges him and us reading this letter to truly celebrate Christmas truth everyday.

In thinking on this idea of Jesus Christ as the truth of Christmas, I ask this question: Why must the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ be celebrated everyday by Christians? In considering 1 Timothy 3:14-16, let me offer three answers to that question:

1. Practical Christianity Feeds from Him who is the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ.  1 Timothy 3:14-16a

2. Precious Doctrine is Framed by Him who is the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ.  1 Timothy 3:16b

3. Powerful Worship Flows from Him who is the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ.  1 Timothy 3:16b

So why celebrate Christmas truth everyday?  Notice first of all that...

Practical Christianity Feeds from Him who is the truth of Christmas, Jesus Christ. 1 Timothy 3:14-16a

Practical Christianity expressed towards others = Conduct
Practical Christianity is one of Paul's main concerns here in these set of verses.  Note what he says about our practical everyday Christian life.  In 1 Timothy 3:15 we read: "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth."   The idea of behavior is also translated by the NASB as "conduct".  Conducting oneself in the Biblical sense means being careful about how you respond and carry yourself as a Christian. 
Christian conduct is spoken of elsewhere in the New Testament:

1. Philippians 1:27 reminds us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel

2. In Acts 4:32, all the early Christians had a conduct that united them together in one heart and mind

3. Paul urges the Corinthian church in 1 Coritnhains 1:10 to watch their conduct with one another so that there may be no divisions

Other passages could be cited, but the point is well taken, conduct or how we excercise caution in our dealings with one another is a mark of a healthy, practical Christianity. 

Practical Christian expressed in my own life = godliness
Paul then says these words in 1 Timothy 3:16a - "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness...."  What is godliness? Proverbs 13:6 in the NLT reads - "Godliness guards the path of the blameless, but the evil are misled by sin."  Perhaps one of the clearest descriptions of the term "godliness' anywhere in the Bible is 1 Timothy 4:8 "for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."  To be Godly means that I aim to do good and be good for the sake of God's pleasure. 

What drives practical conduct and Godliness? Christmas truth
As Paul has wrote instructions in 1 Timothy 1-3 on how his readers are to "conduct themselves" and "be godly", the question is: what engine will drive Christian conduct and Godliness?  Only one person can do that: Jesus Christ.  Christmas truth is Jesus, and daily focus upon Himself will ensure effective conduct and godliness.  The fact that Paul hitches 1 Timothy 3:15-16 to the rich statement concerning the arrival of Jesus Christ into this world, tells us that daily Christian living feeds upon the life and power of Jesus Christ. 

More tomorrow...........