Best Next Step

Great Question - 1/3

I was recently asked this great question…

“The Bible is God's word, right?  Ok. If what's true is true, then how do you know if your interpretation of a particular scripture is true?  If you are connected right, will you know through the voice of the Holy Spirit?”

As I began my response, I thought the answer would be of interest to more than just the one who asked it.  My answer will be given over the next three blog posts since it kept growing in size.

First, I believe with all my heart that God has given us His Word so that we can know Him better.  He wants us to understand what we read so He can use it deeply in our lives.  God is not playing “hide-and-seek” with us.  He has invited us into a relationship through Christ and desires for that relationship to grow.

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”  Jeremiah 29:13

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”  Jeremiah 33:3

Second, I believe that we can learn to hear God’s voice.  There is a lot of noise in the world today.  Much of it drowns out the still, small voice of God.  However, we can come to hear Him better as we spend more time listening to Him.  That’s one reason our time in the Word needs to be daily.  We can’t just run to the Bible for a quick answer.  We must develop our hearing over time.

“The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice.  He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.  But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”  John 10:3-5

Third, our understanding of God’s Word is more than an intellectual activity.  We are not solely or even primarily on a quest for knowledge.  The Bible is a spiritual book written for a spiritual work.  And because this is the case, God Himself through the Person of the Holy Spirit plays an active role in the process.

“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.  This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.  The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”  1 Corinthians 2:12-14

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”  John 14:26

All that being said, how can we know that our understanding of what we read is correct?  We must learn to use some basic skills of interpretation when we read the Bible.  These can be understood through asking three key questions which will be addressed in the next post.

Whose Story is it Anyway?

I am participating in The Truth Project (www.thetruthproject.org).  This is an awesome study concerning how to look at all of life from a biblical perspective. Each lesson discusses the importance of bringing a Christian worldview to daily life.  So far, we have looked at the areas of philosophy, anthropology, science and theology.

Last night we looked at the issue of history.  I was reminded that history truly is His Story.  From eternity past to eternity future, God has been working out every detail according to His plans.

“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.  I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.  I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.  From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.  What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.”  Isaiah 46:9-11 (NIV)

God is God!  He is Sovereign!  It’s all about Him and all for Him!  This truly is His Story!

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”  Colossians 1:16-17

And although we understand this to be true, I’m afraid we can fall into the trap of pursuing our story.  We are challenged to dream big dreams for God.  We ask God about His plan for our life.  And slowly we begin to see life as a story about me; my plans, my hopes, my dreams.  But it isn’t.

Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”  Matthew 16:24-25 (NIV)

Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20 (NIV)

So the great challenge is to continue to empty myself of me and truly allow God to work in and through me.  As this happens, I will find my story within the context of His Story.

“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”  Philippians 2:13 (NLT)

There is a great resource available to help you learn and understand God’s Story and to help you see your place in it.  Check out The Story Blog (www.thestoryblog.net) for more information.

What Really Matters

Today is my birthday.  It reminds me that not only days, but entire years are passing by faster than I realize.  For me, birthdays are a time of reflection as I consider where I’ve been and where I am headed.  During these times of contemplation, I consider how I spend my time, resources and energy.

Recently, my family began a journey through the Book of Philippians.  In reading the opening verses, we came upon Paul’s prayer on our behalf found in Philippians 1:9-10.  The New Living Translations says it this way.

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.  For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.”

Paul prays that our love would increase and he prays that we would grow in our knowledge and understanding.  Why does he pray these things?  What does he hope will happen if his prayer is answered?

He wants us to understand what really matters.

As we read this passage, my family was immediately drawn to this phrase.  We paused to better understand what it means and how we would live this out.  Leaning on a trusted friend, we turned to the Ryrie Study Bible and found this phrase to mean “to differentiate between highest matters and side issues.”

Wow!  That really moved this from being Paul’s polite prayer for us to a matter that demanded our attention.  We started placing the day-to-day affairs of life into these two categories: highest matters and side issues.

Who dries the dishes and who puts them away? Side issue.

How do I honor God with this day? Highest matter.

Who is first player on the video game? Side issue.

How do I really show love to my sister? Highest matter.

What would it look like if you categorized the aspects of your day into these two categories?  How would you decide which group to put things in?

Fortunately, we are not left to make up what really matters.  We don’t have to guess what the highest matters are.  We can learn how to spot a side issue and leave it in its place.  Jesus helped us to what really matters.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Matthew 22:37-39

Finding Wings

Our family passed a milestone last weekend with our first wedding.  Our oldest daughter was married on July 3 and will now start living the rest of her life in a different family than ours.  This is a time of great excitement, much reflection and a little sadness.

And yet, for the past 20 years, we have been preparing for exactly this; getting her ready to go.  Here is the chorus to the Mark Harris song “Find Your Wings”.  This was played as parents and grandparents were seated before the ceremony.  It seems to sum up the task we had been given.

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage to dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots and help you find your wings

This song highlights a critical distinction we must see to get parenting right.  It speaks of a basic premise that we have to be aware of to successfully prepare our children for the future.  The lyrics reflect a reality about the nature of our children that is of utmost importance for us to understand.

They are born with wings.

God beautifully and wonderfully created everything about them even before they were born (see Psalm 139:13-16).  Hair color, height, temperament and skin tone.  He also gave them wings that would carry them to the future He desires for them.

We walk along side of them helping them find their wings.  We watch as they flap their wings proudly for the first time.  We set up boundaries and safety nets so they won’t get hurt during their first takeoff.  We show them how to soar and experience what life is like when we fly according to God’s plan.

We don’t make their wings.  We don’t give them our wings.

We help them find their own wings.  And in doing so, we have the incredible privilege of joining God in shaping them into the person He created them to be.