that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:10-11)

The phrase “approving things that are excellent” suggests “recognizing the highest and best”.  According to Moffatt’s translation: “enabling you to have a sense of what is vital”!  The NIV simply says: “discern what is best”.

When one grows in knowledge and discernment, he is able to recognize what is best.  It can be a great deterrent to one losing their faith.  Love rightly guided brings out the best in one’s character.  One who is sincere has an undivided heart that realizes the impossibility of uniting the pursuits of the world with the pursuits of God!  Several applications are worthy of consideration.

So, how do you use your time?  There is nothing wrong with occasional leisure and fun. (Ecclesiastes 3:12,13)  Our Father made this world; and his children, of all people, should know how to enjoy it.  However, if the leisure causes one to lose sight of the spiritual, he will miss what is essential and best.  (Ephesians 5:16,17)  Take time for God, to pray, worship, and meditate.

What about your body?  It is certainly beneficial to exercise the body. (I Timothy 4:8)   God designed the body for certain physical pleasures.  However, it is best to use your body and life to pursue godliness.  “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Furthermore Solomon says:  “There is desirable treasure, And oil in the dwelling of the wise, But a foolish man squanders it.” (Proverbs 21:20)  There is nothing wrong with working hard, being a good steward, and enjoying some of the things of this life. However, it is better to work hard so you can give to others,  (Ephesians 4:28)  especially for the work of the Lord!

What about your prayer life?  Is it wrong to make requests of God?  Of course not!  (Philippians 4:6)  It is better when one’s petitions are coupled with thanksgiving.  However, the highest prayer is one that submissively yields to the will of God.

Bible reading and study is of tremendous value.  (I Timothy 4:13)  It is even more beneficial to meditate on Scripture.  (Psalms 1:1,2)  Hiding God’s word in our heart can be a great deterrent to sin. (Psalms 119:11)  However, when one becomes intimately acquainted with God, the author of the Bible, and implicitly trusts His every command, it is best.

In our religious aims one must obey God to be saved.  (Hebrews 5:8,9)  However, it is better to lose oneself in God’s will out of a desire to glorify Him.  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1 Peter 2:9)

In each of these areas we need to recognize what is best.  This is not just intellectual.  It is a growth of love- love of God to better understand Him, love of Christ to better appreciate Him, love of man to value his soul, love of heavenly things to enable us to seek what is most important.

By George Slover
 
 

“But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (Galatians 1:11-12)

The above passage is among many bold claims made by the apostles of Christ – i.e. “our message comes from God and not from man”.    Other such claims are found in John’s writings:  “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place.”  (Revelation 1:1)  Peter makes a similar claim:  “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:19-21)  These are bold claims!

However, the apostles, through the power of God, offered evidence to back up those claims.  “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.” (2 Corinthians 12:12)  Surely such signs were done in the presence of their enemies.  Had they not been convincing, the apostles would have lost all creditability!

In addition to the signs they performed, the apostles readily abandoned long held beliefs and practices of their former religion.  These men, before preaching Christ, followed institutions that had been in vogue for more than 1500 years – i.e. animal sacrifices, Sabbath keeping, and many other traditions of Moses’ law. Not only did the New Testament writers abandon such treasured beliefs, but so did thousands of other Jews!

What compelled them to make such a dramatic shift?  Instead of animal sacrifices they honored Jesus as the Lamb of God.  Instead of Sabbath keeping, they assembled on the First day of the week.  And instead of following a physical king, they honored Jesus as the spiritual ruler of their hearts!

Such compelling evidence gives one every reason to believe, and no reason to doubt the validity of the New Testament and its authors!  Christ is risen indeed!  Christ is Lord!

By George Slover
 

Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (Luke 9:23)

After clearly predicting his fate (Luke 9:22), Jesus enumerates the terms of discipleship.  True disciples are called to lead lives of self-denial and commitment.  Four times in the context (vs. 23,58,59,61) Jesus uses the word “follow” as a mark of genuine discipleship.

William Barclay’s (New Testament Words, pg. 41) references the uses of the Greek word “akolouthein”.  In classical Greek it was used to describe a soldier following a commander, a slave attending to his master, a servant obeying a leader, or of attaching oneself to another to receive a favor.  The Christian is a soldier in Christ’s army, the Lord’s bondservant, a citizen in His kingdom, and always in need of the Savior’s grace and favor.

Following Jesus involves counting the cost. (Luke 9:59,61)  Jesus will not accept our false pretenses or emotionally charged promises.  He requires genuine self-denial.  There were some early disciples who left all to follow Him. (Mark 4:20)  Following Jesus involves a cross – bearing our cross for Him.  This may require the sacrifice of our own habits, ambitions, and pleasures.

There are inadequate ways of following Jesus.  Some have tried to follow from a distance. (Matthew 26:58)  Had Peter followed closely, he may not have denied Jesus.  Some have refused to follow Him. (Matthew 19:21)  The result was sorrow instead of joy.

The tenderest words to ever fall from human lips were the words of Jesus – “follow me”. (Mark 2:14)  Some times the crowd followed Jesus to experience his healing power, some times to listen to his words, sometimes in wonder and admiration.  It was sinners (Mark 2:150, not self-righteous that followed Jesus.

When one embarks upon this great journey, Jesus will keep him in the way of light, instead of darkness.  Ultimately, the disciple will arrive at eternal glory.  The path will not be easy, but the reward will be well worth it.

By George Slover

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. (Colossians 1:27-28 NKJV)

As an Apostle and servant of Christ, Paul also served as a model for evangelism.  Paul was a suffering saint and prisoner of the Lord.  All of his strivings were motivated by man’s greatest cause – the cause of Christ.  In his life’s work, Paul can be a model for us. 

The subject of his preaching is Christ.  Paul says: “we proclaim Him”!  His message did not consist of vain philosophy or religious tradition (Colossians 2:8).  Thus, our mission is to uphold Christ – to proclaim his death, burial, and resurrection, to draw portraits of His life, to herald His grace, and to clearly spell out His demands.

The scope of his preaching is all mankind.  Paul says, “We admonish every man”.  C.S. Lewis stated: “There are no ordinary people.  You have never talked to a mere mortal.  Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat.  But it is immortals whom we joke with, marry, snub, and exploit- immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.”  What a sobering thought.  No one is safe without Jesus!  All men are accountable to God.  Thus, our mission is to generously scatter the seed.

The method of Paul’s preaching is practical instruction – “warning and teaching”.  The goal must be to convict the sinner of his guilt (Romans 3:23), and encourage them by the offers of the gospel.  The terms of pardon are "repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ”. (Acts 20:21) This also includes submission to God in baptism.  (Acts 2:28)

The goal of gospel preaching is to present every man perfect in Christ.  The work of the preacher is to mold lives and develop character.  Redeeming the sinner of guilt and saving the eternal soul are important, but the work is not finished with conversion.  It only begins there.  In fact the eternal goals will not be realized unless one grows on toward perfection in Christ.

It was to this work Paul devoted all of his energy.  It is to this same ministry Christians are also called.  There is not a more important endeavor.

By George Slover 


 

So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the LORD has said we will do." (Exodus 24:3)

The giving of the Book of the Covenant now completed, Moses descends from the mountain and declares it to the people.  (vs.1-3)  When the people heard they expressed a willingness to obey: "All the words which the LORD has said we will do."  Moses takes the blood and sprinkles half of it on the altar and half of it on the people and their acceptance of the covenant is complete.

Upon this occasion God accepted the accolades of Israel.  With the altar and sprinkling of blood, God provided a means by which Israel could be reminded to make good on their promise.  Unfortunately, Israel would prove to be a fickle people and soon forget their commitment to Jehovah.

The fickleness of Israel has been often repeated by others.  One has good intentions, but often fails to follow through.  He is torn by emotions that draw him in one direction and his reason which draws him in another.  Thus, one will make promises, as Israel did at Sinai, but when the emotion of the moment is gone and life gets ordinary and dull, he finds his pledge hard to keep.

The gospel of Christ demands commitment.  We are not just saved to be saved (Romans 12:1,2), but we are saved to serve.  God demands implicit faith committed to righteousness rather than sin.  (Romans 6:18)  All too often the new convert on the day of baptism starts with lofty goals, but will soon drop out of the race.  

Like Israel God has implemented ways to remind the Christian of his initial commitment.  The Lord’s Supper is our memorial of Christ, should rekindle our spirits. (I Corinthians 11:23-29)  The word is designed to stir us up.  
(II Peter 3:1,2) God’s people should provoke us to love and good works.  (Hebrews 10:24,25)  

So when our life ends will we be among those who followed through or among those who failed?  Take up the tools God gave you, keep the heart burning for Christ, and one day you will reap the rewards.

George Slover