September 20, 2015 PRACTICE THESE THINGS
Philippians 4:9: “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace shall be with you.”
God is super natural and the work that He desires to do in us is a super natural work, but at the same time, there is a place for the “practical.” Even though the super natural work of God is necessary if we are to live the Christian life, we are not to spend our time waiting for God to “zap” us. As you read the New Testament, you become aware of the fact that the writers of the New Testament as well as the believers, even though they had new hearts, were not instantly changed once for all into spiritual maturity. They faced battles, they endured hardship, they were admonished, needed correction at times, and they were encouraged to remain faithful. Instead of God making us instantly mature, He has given us the opportunity to choose to work with Him in the transformation process-this is where the “practical” side of things comes into play. God does not desire robots, but rather, He desires to have a relationship with mankind-a relationship based on real people who have a mutual desire to relate to Him. At our new birth, we were given a new spirit, a new heart, and a new mind, but we were not created mature in the faith. God has called us to grow up in Christ. The scriptures are not given just so we will have something to fill our mind with, but are given as instructions and they reveal the character and nature of God and they reveal our true identity. Paul instructs us to put into practice what we learn in scripture, and as we do, we will have the peace of God. Frankly, if we don’t “practice” the teaching of scriptures, then we will not know and experience His peace. The believers in the above verse had not only “learned”, “received”, and “heard” from Paul; they also “saw” Paul practicing what he was preaching. Even the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14: “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Putting into practice what we learn in the scriptures is not in any way burdensome, but is the very thing through which we discover our true identity. By not practicing the scriptures, we grieve the Spirit of God in us, and we will find that God seems more distant. So, if we need to forgive-do it; if we need patience-be patient; when there is an opportunity to express kindness-do it; because the scriptures tell us to spend time with other believers-do it; because God loves a cheerful giver-give. You get the idea-just do it-whether you “feel” like it or not; and the God of peace will be with you. We can practice the teachings of scripture only because the Spirit of God lives in us enabling us to do so.
Luke 11:18: “But He said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Psalms 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
John 14:21: “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Philippians 4:9: “The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace shall be with you.”
God is super natural and the work that He desires to do in us is a super natural work, but at the same time, there is a place for the “practical.” Even though the super natural work of God is necessary if we are to live the Christian life, we are not to spend our time waiting for God to “zap” us. As you read the New Testament, you become aware of the fact that the writers of the New Testament as well as the believers, even though they had new hearts, were not instantly changed once for all into spiritual maturity. They faced battles, they endured hardship, they were admonished, needed correction at times, and they were encouraged to remain faithful. Instead of God making us instantly mature, He has given us the opportunity to choose to work with Him in the transformation process-this is where the “practical” side of things comes into play. God does not desire robots, but rather, He desires to have a relationship with mankind-a relationship based on real people who have a mutual desire to relate to Him. At our new birth, we were given a new spirit, a new heart, and a new mind, but we were not created mature in the faith. God has called us to grow up in Christ. The scriptures are not given just so we will have something to fill our mind with, but are given as instructions and they reveal the character and nature of God and they reveal our true identity. Paul instructs us to put into practice what we learn in scripture, and as we do, we will have the peace of God. Frankly, if we don’t “practice” the teaching of scriptures, then we will not know and experience His peace. The believers in the above verse had not only “learned”, “received”, and “heard” from Paul; they also “saw” Paul practicing what he was preaching. Even the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3:13-14: “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Putting into practice what we learn in the scriptures is not in any way burdensome, but is the very thing through which we discover our true identity. By not practicing the scriptures, we grieve the Spirit of God in us, and we will find that God seems more distant. So, if we need to forgive-do it; if we need patience-be patient; when there is an opportunity to express kindness-do it; because the scriptures tell us to spend time with other believers-do it; because God loves a cheerful giver-give. You get the idea-just do it-whether you “feel” like it or not; and the God of peace will be with you. We can practice the teachings of scripture only because the Spirit of God lives in us enabling us to do so.
Luke 11:18: “But He said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it.”
Psalms 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
John 14:21: “Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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