One Thing Needful

Amidst a wicked and perverse generation, Noah found favor in the eyes of God because he alone was righteous and blameless.  (vv.5-12)  He was righteous and blameless because he walked with God.  (v.9)  God expressed His favor to Noah by the revelation of His plan to not only destroy the world (v.17), but to save Noah and his family and to establish a covenant with him (v.18).  After the revelation He gave instruction–specific instruction and provided everything Noah needed to obey.  (vv.18-21)  Noah’s salvation was realized through obedience.  (v.22)  He obeyed God because he trusted Him.  Noah’s obedience was the expression of his faith.  (Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, after being warned about what was not yet seen, in reverence built an ark to deliver his family.  By this [the obedience of faith] he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.”)  Without the work of obedience, Noah and his family would not have been saved.  Noah’s faith was shown to a disobedient generation by the work of gathering the animals, and constructing and entering the ark just as God said.  Centuries later James would declare this same principle, “…I will show you faith from my works.” (James 2:18)

Worship is the fruit that results from my affirmative response to the revelation of Truth by the Holy Spirit.

Spiritual worship cannot be judged by physical observation nor coaxed by physical stimulation.

We have been far too willing to judge the worship of others and far less willing to cultivate sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

I am a clay jar, mortal flesh in true form: weak, unlovely, made from the dust of the ground. Yet, Lord, You have chosen to place the treasure of Your presence–the light of Your presence in my heart. While I despise my flesh–my fleshly instincts and reactions–it is the vehicle for showing Your power. It is the showcase for Your power. It is the way Your power is shown. As I yield to You and surrender my will, I become conformed to the image of Christ. Only Your power can accomplish that in my life. Only Your Holy Spirit can provide the power for that work.

As the Spirit fills me and conforms me to Your image, I will be the fragrant aroma of You. I will be the light–Your light in a dark world. If I want to see my church fellowship to be healthly, fulfilling its commission, I must be Your light. Spiritual warfare takes place in the battle over my flesh. If I want the darkness to be driven out I must be the light. If I want an outpouring of the Holy Spirit I must be filled with the Spirit. I am Your light when I’m filled with Your Spirit. To be filled with Your Spirit I must be broken & surrendered–emptied of all selfish desire. Everything selfish must be surrendered to You. Everything!

II Timothy 1:12 – But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

Paul was not ashamed to suffer because he knew Who his trust was in. Also, he was not ashamed to suffer becuase he was persuaded that the One he was trusting was able to guard the treasure (the gospel and his appointment to proclaim it) with which he had been entrusted.

Paul knew the ministry God had called him to and even though imprisonment and suffering seemed to thwart that purpose, he had confidence that God was able to guard for Paul what He was called to do. He even said on occasions that his imprisonment had actually advanced the gospel. In essence, Paul was saying, I know the One who called me, I know what He’s called me to do and I am confident that He will provide every opportunity and protect me from any hindrance or anything that would destroy my ability to fulfil that call. He was exhorting Timothy in his ministry, encouraging him to have the same understanding.

I Samuel 1:10 – Deeply hurt, Hannah prayed to the Lord and wept with many tears.

v.15 – …I am a woman with a broken heart…I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord…I’ve been praying from the depth of my anguish and resentment.

Hannah could only pour out her heart because it was broken. The only reason she could get to the depths of her heart–where the hurt was–to pour it out before God was because it was broken. God, You will not despise a heart that is broken before You. In fact, that is the sacrifice that pleases You. A broken heart is a humble heart. Search me, God and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way. (Psalm 139:23-24) May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You. Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Psalm 19:12-13 Who perceives his unintentional sins? Cleanse me from my hidden faults. Moreover, keep Your servant from willful sins; do not let them rule over me. Then I will be innocent, and cleansed from blatant rebellion.

I will be cleansed from blatant rebellion, I will be innocent when willful sins do not rule over me. Are there willful sins in my life? Do I let willful sins rule over me? I must entrust myself to You if I will not let willful sins rule over me. David’s request was “keep Your servant from willful sins.” There is submission in that request and humility–necessary qualities in a heart cleansed of willfulness.

Hannah’s anguish and resentment were born out of her deep hurt. These were unintentional sins that were revealed when her heart was broken–only then could she pour it out before God.

In Psalm 19 David moves from the unintentional to the willful because even sins that begin unintentionally can become willful. If Hannah had failed to be broken before God, her anguish and resentment would have become willful disobedience. What began as unintentional sin–the product of deep hurt–would have become willful sin. The cure for all sin is humility and submission before God. That’s why Hannah’s song of praise for answered prayer was completely founded in her understanding of God’s Sovereignty. Humility and submission is the only place to understand His character.

I Samuel 1:17 – Eli responded, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the petition you’ve requested from Him.” Eli didn’t know what Hannah’s petition was, but he blessed her because of her brokenness before God.

The gospel is the good news of God’s love. His love is the power of the gospel. The cross is the proof of God’s love. My repentance and acceptance of His free gift of salvation acknowledges that love and is the first expression of my love for Him. What motivates my love for God? I love Him because He first loved me. My love for Him is ignited by His love for me. The more I comprehend His love, the more I will love Him in return. The more I know Him, the more I will comprehend His love. The more I spend time with Him–listening to Him and gazing on His beauty, the more I will know Him. The more time I spend with Him, the more I will become like Him. The more I become like Him, the more I will love Him. The more I love Him, the more I will love others because His love will flow from me. When this happens, the law will be fulfilled in me. When love motivates my every action, I will not live in violation of His commands. So, if I want to keep His commands, I must look to Him and live continually remembering His great love for me. This is how I “abide” in His love. This is how I “keep myself in His love.” This is how I “stand fast in the liberty,” because He has set me free from the law with all its rules and regulations. I no longer have to live by a set of rules, but I live by the law of love–which means His love. It means I look to Him. It means I listen to Him. It means I am led by His Spirit. The motivation of my heart is His love. This is how to live a blameless life. The is how our hearts are blameless before Him. This is what it means to seek first His Kingdom. His Kingdom is the Kingdom of Love, and He is the King of Love.

God is glorified when I prove to be His disciple, that is His follower. The proof of my discipleship is in producing much fruit. If I’m connected to the Vine, I will bear fruit. If I’m “pruned” by the application of the Word of God to my life, I will bear more fruit. If through communion with Christ I make and receive requests, I will bear much fruit.

Producing much fruit is the way I complete the work the Father gives me to do. The work of God is to believe in the Son. The Father is glorified when Jesus works through me by answering my prayers. The result of answered prayers is that Jesus does greater works collectively through me and other believers now than He did while on earth. When Jesus who is the ultimate expression of the power and name of God is able to do greater works through us, God is glorified. God’s glory is manifested when His power is shown and His name known. I prove to be a follower of Christ when I show His power and make His name known. I make His name known when I show His power. His power is shown in me when He answers my prayers. Not just prayers for things I can touch and hold, but more specifically prayers for His power (strength, wisdom, etc.) that enables me to do His will. It’s interesting to note that immediately following the departure of Judas at the last supper, Jesus spoke these words: “Now, the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.” (John 13:31) “Now”…in betrayal…in something that at the moment doesn’t look like glory. This tells me when difficulties arise from doing the will of God, there is a purpose greater than me. When I entrust myself to the faithful Creator in submission, He is glorified. When I ask, and believe, and receive what I need to accomplish His will, not only am I doing the work of God but I’m completing His work, I’m cooperating with the work Christ is doing to conform me to His image, I’m bearing much fruit, I’m proving to be His disciple, and I’m fulfilling God’s purpose for my life which is to be conformed to the image of Christ.

Rooted in my asking and believing must be an understanding of the will of God as revealed in His Word by the Holy Spirit through communion with the Father. The Holy Spirit guides me into all Truth. The Holy Spirit speaks what He hears from Christ. The Holy Spirit takes from what is Christ’s (which is everything the Father has) and declares it to me. The Holy Spirit declares to me what is to come. The Holy Spirit searches the deep things of God and knows His concerns. I have received the Holy Spirit in order to know what has been freely given to me by God. When in my weakness I don’t know what to pray for as I should, the Holy Spirit intercedes for me according to the will of God. I am able to discern the will of the Father only when I’m sincerely seeking (that is, searching as for something hidden) His will and not my own. So, my ability to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit with accuracy is determined by the diligence with which I seach for God’s will. The diligence with which I search for God’s will is directly connected to the purity of my heart and mind. The purity of my heart and mind is dependant upon both my hearing and welcoming the Word into my heart. When I not only hear but welcome, or receive the Word implanted in my heart I become not only a hearer, but a doer of the Word who will be blessed in what I do. My willingness to seek the Father’s will and become a doer who acts upon that will is the measure by which I receive revelation from God that in turn produces much fruit that glorifies the Father.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: John 15:8, 2-4; 6:29; 14:12-13; 16:13-14; I Cor. 2:10, 12; John 5:30; James 1: 22-25; Mark 4:20-25

But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trepasses. By grace you are saved! He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7

Love by nature is giving. Love does for others. God is love. God lavishes His love on us because love is His nature, His character. Because He is love itself, He created man–not simply because He wanted fellowship, but because love must be lavished on someone to be satisfied. His desire for fellowship was because of His great love. He created man in His image with the capacity to love. He placed the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the center of the garden knowing the love He desired from man in return must come willingly or it would not be true love. Giving them an instruction to obey was the first test of love. Giving man a choice was the first step to purifying man’s love for God. God’s entire plan through the ages has been about bringing a people to Himself who not only loves Him purely and whole-heartedly, but a people on whom He can lavish His love for eternity.

I used to think God loves us because He created us, but now I see God created us to satisfy His great love. He created us solely to be the object of His love and affection. That’s why love is the greatest command, the pinacle of Christian virtue.

Lord, mold me and shape me by Your love. Give me a heart like Yours to return Your love and to be a conduit of Your love to others.

Lord, You are my Treasure.
In You I trust; to You I will cling.

The ways that You work are inspiring;
they are completely beyond my ability to comprehend.
I can only stand back in amazement when I see the evidence of Your hand at work.

I give You thanks for Your work in my life.
In my innermost being I praise You, for You are my Treasure.

We have received grace and apostleship through Him to bring about the obedience of faith among all nations, on behalf of His name. (Romans 1:5 HCSB)

Other translations of this phrase include:

KJV – “for obedience to the faith”
NAS – “to bring about obedience of faith”
NIV – “the obedience that comes from faith”
AMP – “to promote obedience to the faith”
Williams – “obedience inspired by faith”

What Paul was saying was that the reason he received grace was to bring all nations (both Jew and Gentile) to obedience to God–obedience that springs from faith in Christ as opposed to obedience that is the result of merely keeping the law. This understanding is also consistent with the message of Paul to the Jews in Rome. In just the first five chapters alone Scripture after Scripture confirms the truth that faith in Christ is the basis for true obedience. True obedience being inward obedience from the heart, not merely external–having only the appearance of righteousness that comes from keeping the law. Faith is a heart issue and cannot be exercised through keeping a set of rules and regulations because rules and regulations can be kept without the exercise of faith. But true obedience–obedience that pleases God is an exercise of faith that springs from the heart.

1:17 – The righteous will live by faith.
2:29 – …a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart–by the Spirit…
3:20 – For no flesh will be justified in His sight by the works of the law…
3:21-22 – But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealed…that is, God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ…
3:25-26 – God presented Him as a propitiation through faith in His blood, to demonstrate His righteousness, …and declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus.
3:27-28 – Where then is boasting? It is excluded…by a law of faith. For we conclude that man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
3:30 – There is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. [Another interesting phrase for a later discussion!]
4:4-5 – Now to the one who works, pay is not considered as a gift, but as something owed. But to the one who does not work but believes on Him who declares righteous the ungodly, his faith is credited for reighteousness.

For anyone who questions why God would chose to make salvation accessable through faith alone apart from works in which we could boast, the answer is found in Romans 4:16: This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace… What a wonderful thought! Salvation is not from ourselves because God wants to give it to us! Did you understand that? He doesn’t want us to work for it because He wants to give it to us. And the means by which He gives it to us is faith in the atoning work of His Son, Jesus Christ. What a gracious Father we have! What a loving Savior we have!

For anyone who doesn’t understand faith you don’t have to search any further than Romans 4:21 to find the definition personified in the life of Abraham. …he [Abraham] was fully convinced that what He [God] had promised He [God] was also able to perform. There you have it. Faith is being fully or completely convinced that what God promises (salvation), God is able to do (save). And salvation is just the beginning of what God wants to do for us through faith. To the Colossians Paul says, Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord [by faith], walk in Him [by faith] (2:6).

The conclusion is …we have been declared righteous by faith. (Romans 5:1) Let me restate: Faith is a heart issue that cannot be exercised by keeping a set of rules. However, it should be noted that faith does produce obedience. And that is the kind of obedience that Paul labored to bring to all nations.

We have received grace and apostleship through Him to bring about the obedience of faith among all nations, on behalf of His name. (Romans 1:5)