Archive | December 2021

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Unity

Dec29

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Unity

“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” (Philippians 3:13-14).

I usually write about resolutions and goal setting in January, but I almost always begin thinking about this process beginning around Thanksgiving. I am a planner by nature, and I love to have goals to work toward. As I look to the Bible for guidance, I am compelled by the Scripture above that whatever my goals, seeking first the kingdom should be my first and foremost goal. Which brings me to a big question: How do I press on toward this goal?

The previous four devotions were about four qualities, or virtues: trust, wisdom, love, and joy. We explored each one to understand the biblical definition and what we can do to grow in this virtue. Today we are focusing on the fifth and final virtue, “Unity.”

Some phrases come to mind when I think of unity, such as “one mind,” “one accord,” “better together,” and “strength in numbers.”  Patrick Henry used the phrase “United we stand, divided we fall” in 1799 to encourage the new United States of America; Abraham Lincoln used the phrase “A house divided against itself cannot stand” in 1858 when running for President to warn against disunity. Their language comes from the Bible. “And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand” Mark 3:25).

Many verses in the Bible reinforce the theme of unity. But who are we to be unified with? And why? And then the big question: How?

  1. We are to be unified with Christ and our fellow believers. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). All to often, I think we get confused about what side we are on, or maybe we create too many divisions and begin to segregate ourselves accordingly. “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called” (Ephesians 4:3-4). According to Jesus, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). There are only two sides—we are with Jesus, or we are against him. There is no “in between.”
  • The reason for unification is to build up the body of Christ to maturity in faith. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

How do we attain unity? Caution: this is the hard part. We must surrender our pride in wanting “it” to be about us; thinking we are better than our fellow believers, wanting our own way. The Apostle Paul exhorted us over and over regarding unity.

  • He exhorted us to humility: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. (Romans 12:16). “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourself” (Philippians 2:3).
  • He admonished us to “Do everything without grumbling or arguing…” (Philippians 2:14). Both actions refer to interpersonal conflict. Grumbling, or making negative comments about others, threatens unity through sinful gossip. Disputing, or senseless debates or confrontational quarrels, threatens unity through sinful confrontation. We are not to threaten unity.
  • He exhorted us to forgive and to love each other: “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:13-14).
  • He exhorted us to be intentional about reconciliation with each other:“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19-20). I can’t think of a more compelling, encouraging, and hopeful reason to strive for unity with all our fellow believers.

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Joy

Dec22

“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” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Continuing our theme of goal setting, as we anticipate the coming of Christ during this Holy Season, I am writing about joy. It is the time to rejoice with exceeding great joy! As in the first three goals of this series (trust, wisdom, love), joy is in our control. We can choose to have joy, to be joyful, just like we can choose to trust, to gain wisdom, and to love.

I’m no psychologist, but I believe that most humans are inclined “go negative” without some intentional changing of the mind. An article from Psychology Today bears this out. So, to be joyful requires an intention, a choice, a follow-through.

Perhaps it would be helpful to describe or define “joy.” One good definition from Christianity Today is this: “Simply put, Biblical joy is choosing to respond to external circumstances with inner contentment and satisfaction, because we know that God will use these experiences to accomplish His work in and through our lives.” Joy is not being giddy regardless of what is going on, it is not denying our hurts. The fact is that for many, the Christmas season is painful and depressing, and perhaps for valid reasons. So how can we be joyful when we are hurting?

The great news is that we are not on our own. We do have help. Joy is actually a fruit of the spirit, meaning that is a gift or empowerment to all believers by the Holy Spirit when we accept Christ as our Savior. In fact, not only is it available, but joy is also necessary to our Christian walk and testimony. Christians are known by their fruit. Do you want to be known as a Christian? It’s not enough to say you are a Christian. You and I must walk the talk. So then, how do we exhibit the joy that is the fruit of the spirit?

First: Realize that joy is not mutually exclusive with other emotions. Of course, you will mourn and grieve a loss, but you can still have hope. Of course, you will likely experience pain from sickness or injury, but you can still be thankful. Of course, you will be angry when you see someone mistreated, but you can still allow God to use you. Of course, you will be frustrated when troubles come your way (and they surely will), but you can still be content. In other words, don’t think that to be joyful you should not feel pain, bereavement, anger, frustration, etc. Jesus himself felt bereavement, pain, anger, and frustration.

Second: Remember that as believers, regardless of our circumstances, we always have Jesus. He is in us, and we are in Him. The Apostle Paul reinforces, writing from prison while anticipating execution: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4). Jesus himself says, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). And James tells us to “consider it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2).

Third: Reframe your mind to have a joyful mindset; in other words, determine to be joyful. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). Decide that your contentment will be in your relationship with Jesus. Intentionally look for beauty in your surroundings, whether it be in a flower or a child’s smile or in a kind gesture, and give thanks to God.

Fourth, fifth, and sixth: Reflect on your day, repent when you have failed, and resolve to do better tomorrow, with the counsel of the Holy Spirit. We are disciples on a journey; we are pressing on; we are not there yet, but one day we know we will experience joy that knows no bounds. “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

Brothers and sisters in Christ, we have the best reason in the world to be joyful. Let us rejoice with the Wise Men at this most joyful time of year:

“When they heard the king (Herod), they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:9-11)

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Love

Dec15

“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” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Continuing our theme of goal setting, and seeking first the Kingdom as our priority, today’s devotional will focus on pressing on by working toward greater love. We have already discussed the goals of greater trust and greater wisdom. In the weeks to come we will discuss greater joy and unity.

Today I will write about love. Here are some strong statements, commands even, about love from throughout the Bible:

  • “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”  Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27
  • “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Leviticus 19:28; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27
  • “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” John 13:34
  • “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12
  • “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

How will I focus on obedience to these commands to love God and love one another? I think this is a very challenging goal because we (or maybe I should just speak for myself) are naturally very self-centered. Perhaps that is why Jesus told us that the second greatest commandment (after loving God) is to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And Jesus also gave us the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

If our standard is how we love ourselves and want to be treated, then we have a guideline for how we should love others. In fact, as he is prone to do, Jesus gave us an even higher command. He said to love others more than ourselves, in that we should be willing to lay down our lives for another. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).  And he was our model.

How do we learn to love like Jesus?

  1. We recognize that every human has been made in God’s image. James confirms this when he recognizes the doubleminded nature of our speech, “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness” (James 3:9).
  2. We cannot truly love God and others unless our hearts are in the right place. “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). In other words, we love because of Jesus; we love out of gratitude for his love for us.
  3. We make the Golden Rule our baseline: we treat each other better than we expect to be treated.
  4. We commit to love as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
  5. We are especially mindful of what comes out of our mouths. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29).

This is just a start, but if we can pursue these objectives we will be off to a very good start in growing in our love for others.

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Wisdom

Dec8

“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” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Continuing our theme of goal setting, and seeking first the Kingdom as our priority, today’s devotional will focus on pressing on by working toward greater wisdom.

I admit I am a sort of knowledge junkie. I love to learn new things, and I love to share that knowledge. However, what I really desire is to be able to impart wisdom. That is, I really want to be able to give sound advice at just the right time.

The Oxford Dictionary defines wisdom as “the ability to make sensible decisions and give good advice because of the experience and knowledge that you have.” Notice that wisdom is based on knowledge and experience. Logically, then, you can have knowledge and experience without wisdom, but you can’t have wisdom without knowledge and experience. Knowledge alone can even be dangerous, but wisdom is the right application of knowledge.

As believers, we desire an even higher goal of biblical wisdom, which has as its foundation love for God and for others as we seek to discern what is right and how to live godly lives based on our knowledge and experience. If we want our wisdom to be godly, then we must ensure that our knowledge is from the Bible and that our experience is in the context of the church and good Christian leaders. “Spend time with the wise and you will become wise, but the friends of fools will suffer” (Proverbs 13:20 (NCV)). But first and foremost, if we want godly wisdom, we need to ask God for it. James 5:7 reads: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

Wisdom benefits both ourselves and others. The Book of Proverbs is a wealth of knowledge about wisdom. From Proverbs, here are just a few reasons to pursue godly wisdom:

  • To get guidance: “…let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance…” (Proverbs 1:5).
  • To find the right course of action: “Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path” (Proverbs 2:9).
  • To find favor with God and other people: “Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man” (Proverbs 3:4).
  • To please God with my life: “For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 8:35).

The Apostle Paul, writing to the Corinthians in his first letter, verse 1:20 asks: “Where is the wise person? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” Then he answers his own question in verses 30-31: “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

To summarize how we press on to gain godly wisdom in support of our desire to press on to the goal of seeking first the kingdom:

  1. We continually remind ourselves and reinforce our knowledge of the wisdom from God by reading God’s Word.
  2. We develop our relationship with Christ by praying to him and thanking Him for his guidance.
  3. We ask Him specifically for wisdom, both daily and in the moment (James 5:7).
  4. We acknowledge the Holy Spirit as our Counselor, and rely on His counsel moment by moment, for each thought that we think, each word that we say, and each action that we take (John 14:26).
  5. We intentionally seek the friendship and counsel of godly and wise people (Proverbs 13:20).

It’s just that simple. If our motivation is to glorify God and edify others, I am confident that God will bless our thoughts, words, and deeds and we will be empowered to act with wisdom. “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5

Chaplain’s Corner – Goals of Christian Living: Trust

Dec1

“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” (Philippians 3:13-14).

I usually write about resolutions and goal setting in January, but I almost always begin thinking about this process about now. I am a planner by nature, and I love to have goals to work toward. As I look to the Bible for guidance, I am compelled by the passage above that whatever my goals, seeking first the kingdom should be my first and foremost goal. Which brings me to a big question: How do I press on toward this goal?

Here are five objectives that are worthy of working toward in our efforts to reach the goal:

  1. Trust
  2. Wisdom
  3. Love
  4. Joy
  5. Unity

This Chaplain’s Corner will focus on #1: Trust. Trust in God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is foundational to the Christian faith. In fact, “In God We Trust” is the official motto of the United States of America. But do we?

What do we mean by “trust?” For our purposes, this concept shares some meaning with faith, belief, hope, and surrender. When we trust someone, we have faith in them, we believe them, we hope in them, and we surrender our well-being to them. Or perhaps it’s the reciprocal: when someone trusts us, they have faith in us, they believe us, they hope in us, and surrender their well-being to us. Sometimes trust must be earned. Sometimes, it is there until it is lost by a negative behavior.

Another way to define trust is to consider its opposite: distrust. Why would you distrust someone? Because they don’t do what they say they will do, either because of lying or just not being dependable. One must have character and competence. One without the other just doesn’t work. Also, we distrust someone who doesn’t have our backs; perhaps they have ulterior motives, or just are not concerned for our best interest. When you are relying on someone with something that is important to you, for example, a medical professional, a legal professional, or someone responsible for the care and education of your children, you must be able to trust them.

The Good News is that the most important person in our lives is Christ. In Him we place all our hope, faith, and belief for our eternal lives. And he is entirely worthy of our trust. We can rest in Him, confident that he is willing and able (he has character and competence) to save us. He has our backs. In Him we have our rest.

So how do we exhibit trust? How do we work toward the objective of trust?

  1. We continually remind ourselves and reinforce our knowledge of His Goodness by reading His Word.
  2. We develop our relationship with Him by praying to him and thanking Him for his Goodness.
  3. We go to Him with our needs and refuse to worry about our circumstances, knowing that he has promised to prosper us and not to harm us.  
  4. We let go of our hurts, forgiving others, and resolving to live in peace with other; trusting the LORD to avenge and make everything right.

Over and over in the Bible we are admonished not to trust in kings or other men, but instead to trust in the Lord. “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

Let us encourage each other as we commit to growing in how we live out our trust in the LORD.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

In Christ,

Judy

Psalm 103:2–5